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University  of  Nortii  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/facingworldorhapOalge 


FACING  THE  WOKLD 


OR 


The  Haps  and  Mishaps  of  Harry  Vane 


BY 


HORATIO  ALGER,  Jr. 

^Author  of  "Erie  Train  Boy,"  "Young  Acrobat," 

"Only  an  Irish  Boy"  "Bound  to  Rise" 

"The  Young  Outlaw"  "Driven 

from  Home"  etc. 


NEW  YORK 

HURST  &  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


ALGER  SERIES    FOR   BOYS. 

UNIFORM  WITH  THIS  VOLUME. 
By  HORATIO  ALGER,  Jr. 


Adrift  in  New  York. 
A  Oousin's  Conspiracy. 
Andy  Gordon. 
Andj' Grant's  Pluck. 
Bob  Burton. 
Bound  to  Rise. 
Brave  and  Bold. 
Cash  Boy. 
Chester  Rand 
Do  and  Dare. 
Driven  from  Home. 
Erie  Train  Boy. 
Facing  the  World. 
Five  Hundred  Dollars. 
Frank's  Campaign. 
Grit. 

Hector's  Inheritance. 
Helping  Himself. 
Herbert  Carter's  Legacy. 
In  a  New  World. 
Jack's  Ward. 
Jed,  the  Poor  Honse  Boy. 
Joe's  Luck. 
Juliusjthe  Street  Boy. 
Luke  Walton. 


Making:  His  Way. 
Mark  Mason. 
Only  an  Irish  Boy. 
Paul,  the  Peddler. 
Phil,  the  Fiddler. 
Ralph  Raymond's  Heir. 
Risen  from  the  Ranks. 
Sam's  Chance. 
Shifting  for  Himself. 
Sink  or  Swim. 
Slow  and  Sure. 
Store  Boy. 
Strive  and  Succeed. 
Strong  and  Steady. 
Struggling  Upward. 
Tin  Box. 

Tom,  the  Bootblack. 
Tony,  the  Tramp, 
Try  and  Trust. 
Wait  and  Hope. 
Walter  Sherwood's  Pro- 
bation. 
Young  Acrobat. 
Young  Adventurer. 
Young  Outlaw. 
Young  Salesman. 


Price,  Post-Paid,  jjr.  each,  or  any  three 
books  for  $i.oo. 

HURST  &  COMPANY 
Publishers,  New  York. 


FACING  THE  WORLD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HARRY  RECEIVES  A  LETTER. 

"Here's  a  letter  for  you,  Harry,"  said 
George  Howard. 

"Thank  you,  Georgie.  Where  did  you  get 
it?" 

"I  was  passing  the  hotel  on  my  way  home 
from  school  when  Abner  Potts  called  out  to 
me  from  the  piazza,  and  asked  me  to  bring  it  to 
you." 

The  speaker  was  a  bright,  round-faced  boy  of 
ten.  The  boy  whom  he  addressed  was  five  or 
six  years  older.  He  had  a  j)leasant  face,  but  it 
was  a  strong  face,  also,  and  there  was  an  air 
of  firmness  and  resolution  which  indicated  that 
he  was  a  boy  who  knew  his  rights,  and  know- 
ing, dared  maintain.  He  was  grave,  too,  but 
this  was  not  his  ordinary  expression.  He  had 
special  reason  to  look  sober,  for  only  a  week 
previous  he  had  lost  his  father,  and  as  the  fam- 
ily consisted  only  of  these  two,  he  was  left,  so 


2  Facing    the   World. 

far  as  near  relatives  were  concerned,  alone  in 
the  world. 

Immediately  after  the  funeral  he  had  been 
invited  home  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Howard,  a 
friend  of  his  father,  but  in  no  manner  con- 
nected with  him  by  ties  of  relationship. 

"You  can  stay  here  as  long  as  you  like,  Har- 
ry," said  Mr.  Howard,  kindly.  "It  will  take 
you  some  time  to  form  your  plans,  perhaps, 
and  Georgie  will  be  glad  to  have  your  com- 
pany," 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Howard,"  said  Harry, 
gratefully.  "There  is  no  place  that  will  seem 
so  much  like  home  to  me,  but  I  am  old  enough 
to  work  at  some  business  directly." 

"Shall  you  look  for  some  employment  here?" 

"No,  my  father  has  a  second  cousin  in  Cole- 
brook,  named  John  Fox.  Before  he  died  he  ad- 
yised  me  to  write  to  Mr.  Fox,  and  go  to  his 
house  if  I  should  receive  an  invitation." 

"Do  you  know  anything  of  this  John  Fox?" 

"No ;  he  and  my  father  had  not  met  for  many 
years — in  fact,  since  they  were  both  boys.  I 
believe  there  had  been  no  communication  be- 
tween them  in  all  that  time.  He  is  a  pros- 
perous man,  I  he^r,  and  my  father  thought  he 
would  be  a  suitable  guardian." 

"Where  does  he  live?" 

"In  Colebrook." 


Facing    the    World.  .  3 

"That  is  a  hundred  miles  away,"  said  Mr. 
Howard,  thoughtfully. 

"So  father  told  me." 

"Have  you  written  to  Mr.  Fox?" 

"I  shall  write  to-night." 

"Have  you  any  idea  how  your  father  was  sit- 
uated as  regards  property?"  asked  Mr.  How- 
ard, watching  Harry's  face  with  sj^mpathetic 
interest. 

"I  am  afraid  there  is  very  little  property." 

"You  are  right  there.  Your  father  had  it  in 
my  hands — he  placed  it  with  me  for  safe  keep- 
ing— three  hundred  dollars.  Then  there  is  the 
furniture,  which  it  will  be  best  to  sell.  I  sup- 
pose it  will  hardly  bring  more  than  enough  to 
defray  the  funeral  expenses." 

"I  expected  that,  sir." 

"So  that  you  inherit  but  three  hundred  dol- 
lars clear." 

"It  is  enough,  sir,  with  my  good  health  and 
strong  arms,"  answered  Harry,  calmly. 

"You  are  not  afraid,  then,  to  begin  the  world 
on  this  small  provision?" 

"No,  sir,"  said  Harry,  with  calm  confidence. 

"Well,  I  applaud  your  courage,  Harry.  I 
think,  myself,  that  you  will  get  along." 

"I  ought  to  say  that  there  is  one  item  of 
property  besides,  Mr.  HoAvard." 

"What  is  that?" 


4  Facing    the   World. 

"Fifty  shares  in  a  Lake  Superior  copper 
mine." 

"Indeed,  I  had  not  heard  of  it,"  said  Mr. 
Howard,  showing  surprise. 

"My  father  gave  them  to  me  before  he  died, 
saying  that  they  were  probably  worthless,  and 
not  worth  handing  over  to  my  guardian.  He 
advised  me  to  keep  them  myself,  and  if  ever 
they  amounted  to  anything,  to  sell  them." 

"How  long  has  he  owned  them?" 

"Some  years,  I  think.  He  was  on  a  visit  to 
the  Western  country  when  he  was  induced  to 
buy  them.  I  don't  think  the  mine  is  worked 
now." 

"Still,  there  is  no  knowing  what  may  come 
of  it.  You  had  better  take  good  care  of  the 
shares." 

"I  should  like  to  leave  them  with  you,  Mr. 
Howard.  I  don't  care  to  hand  them  to  Mr. 
Fox." 

"Just  as  you  please,  Harry.  Is  Mr.  Fox  your 
only  relative?"  he  continued. 

"There  may  be  an  exception,"  said  Harry. 
"An  uncle  of  mine  disappeared  fifteen  years 
ago.  He  was  a  seafaring  man,  and,  when  last 
heard  from,  was  the  mate  of  a  merchant  vessel. 
The  vessel  was  lost,  and,  I  suppose,  he  was  lost 
with  it,  but  we  never  could  find  out.  You  know 
my  father  was  an  Englishman?" 


Facing   the   World.  5 

"Yes,  I  know  that." 

"And  my  uncle  had  never  been  in  America, 
unless  he  touched  here  on  some  voyage.  Father 
came  to  this  country  when  he  was  twenty-five, 
and  married  here." 

"So  you  are  American  born,  Harry?" 

"I  consider  myself  an  American,"  said  the 
boy,  proudly.  "Besides,  my  mother  was  an 
American." 

"And  this  Mr.  Fox — is  he  English?" 

"He  was  born  in  Liverpool,  but  was  brought 
here  when  he  was  about  the  age  of  Georgie." 

"I  hope,  for  your  sake,  he  will  prove  a  good 
man.    What  is  his  business?" 

"I  don't  know,  nor  did  my  father.  All  I 
know  is,  that  he  is  considered  a  prosperous 
man." 

We  have  kept  the  reader  waiting  for  some 
time  in  ignorance  of  the  contents  of  Harry's 
letter.  The  delay,  however,  has  enabled  us  to 
understand  it  better.  It  was  inclosed  in  a 
brown  envelope,  and  ran  as  follows : 

"Harry  Vane  : — I  have  received  your  letter, 
saying  that  your  father  wants  me  to  be  your 
guardeen.  I  don't  know  as  I  have  any  objec- 
tions, bein'  a  business  man  it  will  come  easy 
to  me,  and  I  think  your  father  was  wise  to  se- 
leck  me.    I  am  reddy  to  receave  you  any  time. 


6  Facing   the   World. 

You  will  come  to  Bolton  on  the  cars.  That  is 
eight  miles  from  here,  and  there  is  a  stage  that 
meats  the  trane.  It  wouldn't  do  you  any  harm 
to  walk,  but  boys  ain't  so  active  as  they  were  in 
my  young  days.  The  stage  fare  is  fifty  cents, 
which  I  expect  you  to  pay  yourself,  if  you  ride. 
"There  is  one  thing  you  don't  say  anything 
about— how  much  proparty  your  pa  left.  I 
hope  it  is  a  good  round  sum,  and  I  will  take 
good  care  of  it  for  you.  Ennybody  round  here 
will  tell  you  that  John  Fox  is  a  good  man  of 
business,  and  about  as  sharp  as  most  people. 
Mrs.  Fox  will  be  glad  to  see  you,  and  my  boy, 
Joel,  will  be  glad  to  have  some  one  to  keep  him 
kompany.  He  is  about  sixteen  years  old.  You 
don't  say  how  old  you  are,  but  from  your  let- 
ter I  surmise  that  you  are  as  much  as  that. 
You  will  find  a  happy  united  famerly,  consist- 
in'  of  me  and  my  wife,  Joel  and  his  sister 
Sally.  Sally  is  fourteen,  just  two  years 
youngs  r  than  Joel.  We  live  in  a  comfor'ble 
way,  but  we  don't  gorge  ourselves  on  rich,  un- 
helthy  food.  No  more  at  present.  Yours  to 
command,  John  Fox." 

Harry  smiled  more  than  once  as  he  read  this 
letter.  When  Mr.  Howard  came  in,  he  handed 
it  to  him. 

"Your  relative  isn't  strong  on  spelling,"  re- 


Facing   the   World.  ;^ 

marked  Mr.  Howard^,  as  he  laid  the  letter  on 
the  table. 

"No,  sir ;  but  he  appears  to  be  strong  on  econ- 
omy. It  is  a  comfort  to  know  that  I  shall  not 
by  injured  by  'rich,  unhelthy  food.' " 

"Do  you  think,  from  the  letter,  that  you  are 
likely  to  get  on  well  with  this  man?"  asked  his 
friend,  with  a  shade  of  anxiety. 

"I  don't  think  I  shall,"  answered  Harry, 
quietly.  "He  must  be  a  great  contrast  to  my 
dear  father." 

"Undoubtedly.  Your  father  was  a  man  of 
education  and  refinement,  and  it  is  easy  to  see 
that  this  man  has  neither." 

"I  will  give  him  a  fair  trial,  Mr.  Howard. 
I  won't  allow  myself  to  be  prejudiced  in  ad- 
vance." 

"That  is  right.  When  do  you  mean  to  start 
for  Colebrook?" 

"To-morrow  morning.  I  have  been  looking 
at  a  railroad  guide,  and  I  find  it  will  bring  me 
to  Colebrook  in  time  for  supper." 

"We  should  be  glad  to  have  you  stay  with  us 
as  long  as  possible,  Harry." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Howard,  I  don't  doubt  that, 
but  the  struggle  of  life  is  before  me,  and  I  may 
as  well  enter  upon  it  at  once." 


.8  Facing   the   World. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE     STAGECOACH. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  conduc- 
tor of  the  train  on  which  Harry  was  a  passen- 
ger called  out  Bolton. 

Harry  snatched  up  his  carpetbag,  and  made 
his  way  to  the  door,  for  this  was  the  place 
where  he  was  to  take  the  stage  for  Colebrook. 

Two  other  passengers  got  out  at  the  same 
time.  One  was  an  elderly  man,  the  other  a 
young  man  of  twenty-five.  They  appeared  to 
be  father  and  son,  and,  as  Harry  learned  after- 
ward, they  were  engaged  in  farming. 

"Any  passengers  for  Colebrook?"  inquired 
the  driver  of  an  old-fashioned  Concord  stage, 
which  was  drawn  up  beside  the  platform. 

"There's  Obed  and  me,"  said  the  old  farmer. 
"I  guess  we'd  rather  ride  than  foot  it,  though 
seventy-five  cents  is  pretty  steep  just  for  gittin^ 
over  the  ground." 

"  'Tain't  so  steep  as  the  hills  between  here 
and  Colebrook,"  said  the  driver,  chuckling. 
"Still,  ef  you'd  rather  walk " 

"I'm  too  old  to  walk ;  but  when  I  was  Obed's 
age  I  wouldn't  have  minded  it." 


Facing   the   World.  9 

"But  I  do,"  said  Obed.  "Time  is  more  valu- 
able than  it  was  in  your  time,  dad." 

"That's  the  way  with  the  young  folks — they 
are  all  for  spending." 

Harry  judged,  from  the  old  farmer's  appear- 
ance, that  he  was  not  in  the  habit  of  spending 
much  for  dress.    His  son  was  better  attired. 

"May  I  ride  on  the  seat  with  you?"  asked 
Harry,  of  the  driver. 

"Sartain.    Where  are  you  going?" 

"To  Colebrook." 

"Then  this  is  your  team." 

Harry  climbed  up  with  a  boy's  activity,  and 
sat  down  on  the  broad  seat,  congratulating 
himself  that  he  would  have  a  chance  to  see  the 
country,  and  breathe  better  air  than  those  con- 
fined inside. 

"Jest  hold  onto  the  reins,  while  I  ship  some 
freight  for  the  grocery  store,"  said  the  driver. 

This  Harry  was  perfectly  willing  to  do,  hav- 
ing a  liking  for  horses. 

Soon  the  driver  sat  down  on  the  box  beside 
him,  and  started  the  horses. 

"You're  a  stranger,  ain't  you?"  he  remarked, 
with  an  inquisitive  glance  at  his  young  com- 
panion. 

"Yes ;  I've  never  been  here  before." 

"Where  do  you  come  from?" 

"From  Ferguson." 


[lo  Facing   the   World. 

"Never  heard  of  the  place.    Where  is  it?" 

"About  ninety  miles  west  of  here." 

"Sho!  Do  you  intend  to  stay  long  in  Cole- 
brook?" 

"I  don't  know.  It  will  depend  on  how  I  like 
it." 

"Are  you  a  peddler,  or  traveling  salesman,  or 
anything  of  that  sort?" 

"No,"  answered  Harry,  smiling.  "I  may  be 
some  time,  but  I  am  afraid  I'm  too  young 
to  get  such  a  place." 

"Well,  you  do  look  young.  I've  got  a  boy 
nigh  about  as  old  as  you  look." 

"I  am  sixteen." 

"I  reckoned  about  that.  Are  you  goin'  to 
the  tavern?" 

"No;  I'm  going  to  the  house  of  Mr.  John 
Fox.    Do  you  know  him?" 

"Well,  I  should  smile.  I  reckon  everybody 
round  here  knows  John  Fox." 

"I  don't  know  him.  I  never  saw  him  in  my 
life." 

"Are  you  goin'  to  board  with  him?" 

"Very  likely.    He  is  to  be  my  guardian." 

"Sho !  You'll  have  a  queer  guardeen.  That's 
all  I  say." 

"Why  queer?" 

"The  fact  is,  old  John'U  cheat  you  out  of 


Facing   the   World.  ii 

your  eyeteeth  ef  he  gets  a  chance.  He's  about 
the  sharpest  man  round." 

"He  can't  cheat  me  out  of  much,"  returned 
Harry,  not  especially  reassured  by  this  remark. 
^^What  is  the  business  of  Mr.  Fox?" 

"Well,  he's  got  some  land,  but  he  makes  his 
livn'  chiefly  by  tradin'  bosses,  auctioneerin', 
and  such  like." 

"I  suppose  he  is  well  off?" 

"Well,  the  old  man  is  pretty  forehanded. 
He's  alius  gettin'  money  in  one  way  or  another, 
and  he  don't  calc'late  to  spend  much.  They  do 
say  he  sets  about  as  mean  a  table  as  any  in 
Colebrook." 

"That  isn't  very  encouraging,"  said  Harry, 
*'it  I'm  to  live  there." 

"How  in  thunder  d'you  come  to  app'int  him 
your  guardeen?" 

"My  father  died  recently,  and  Mr.  Fox  is 
about  the  only  relation  he  has  in  America." 

"Your  father  didn't  know  much  about  old 
John,  I  reckon?" 

"He  knew  nothing  about  him,  except  that  he 
lived  in  Colebrook,  and  was  pretty  well  off. 
What  sort  of  a  woman  is  Mrs.  Fox?" 

"She's  a  good  match  for  the  old  man.  She's 
about  as  mean  as  he  is.  Once  a  year  the  Sewin' 
Circle  meets  there,  and  my  wife  says — she's  a 
member,  you  know — that  of  all  the  dough  pies 


12  Facing    the    World. 

and  cake  that  she  ever  ate,  Mrs.  Fox's  will  take 
the  premium." 

"Mr.  Fox  wrote  me  that  he  had  two  chil- 
dren," 

"Yes,  there's  Joel — he's  about  your  age. 
He's  a  chip  of  the  old  block,  red-headed  and 
freckled,  just  like  the  old  man.  I  don't  believe 
Joel  ever  spent  a  cent  in  his  life.  He  hangs  on 
to  money  as  tight  as  ef  his  life  depended  on't." 

"I  am  afraid  he  won't  prove  a  very  agreeable 
companion,  then." 

"Ain't  a  very  pop'lar  boy,  that's  a  fact.  He 
swapped  jackknives  with  my  boy  last  week.  I 
told  Jim  he'd  be  took  in,  and  he  was.  It's  hard 
to  git  ahead  of  Joel." 

"There's  a  girl,  too,  isn't  there?" 

"Yes,  Sally." 

"Is  she  pretty?" 

"She  looks  like  her  ma,  except  that  she's  red- 
headed like  her  pa.  She's  pretty  smart  to 
t^^ork,  but  she's  as  homely  as  they  make  'em.'^ 

"I'm  glad  to  know  something  of  the  family, 
but  I'm  afraid  I  shan't  enjoy  myself  very  much 
among  the  Foxes." 

"You  ain't  used  to  livin'  with  foxes,  then?" 
said  the  driver,  with  a  grin. 

"No,  nor  with  people  like  them.  By  the  way, 
who  are  the  two  other  passengers?" 

"Elias  Jones  and  his  son,  Obed.    'Lias  is  a 


Facing   the   World.  13' 

farmer,  and  pretty  well  off.  He's  got  a  good 
farm,  and  a  few  thousand  dollars  in  bank 
stock.    Obed's  got  a  farm,  too." 

"Are  they  anything  like  my  friends,  the 
Foxes?" 

"No ;  they're  a  good  sight  better.  Old  'Lias 
don't  spend  money  foolishly — ^he's  a  careful 
man — but  he  isn't  mean.  Folks  in  his  house 
have  plenty  to  eat,  and  good,  wholesome  food, 
too.  Then  he's  always  willin'  to  pay  his  share 
for  the  church  and  other  purposes." 

"He  thought  seventy-five  cents  rather  high' 
stage  fare?" 

"That's  only  his  joke.  He'd  rather  pay  a 
dollar  and  a  half  than  walk." 

"Mr.  Fox  wrote  me  that  he  thought  it 
wouldn't  do  me  any  harm  to  walk  from  Bol- 
ton to  Colebrook,  and  save  the  stage  fare." 

"Jest  like  old  John.  He  grudges  me  my; 
livin'." 

"Does  he  ever  ride  with  you  himself?" 

"He  always  has  a  horse  of  his  own.  If  he 
hadn't  he'd  walk." 

'  "I  think  I've  got  my  money's  worth  in  in- 
formation," said  Harry,  smiling.  "I'm  glad 
I  rode  on  the  box." 

"You're  welcome  to  all  I  can  tell  you.  I'm 
sorry  you're  going  to  live  with  John  Fox, 
though." 


14  Facing    the   World. 

"So  am  I,  after  what  you  have  told  me.  As 
it  wa&  my  father's  wish,  I  shall  give  him  a 
trial,  but  I  shan't  stay  long  if  I  don't  like 
him." 

"You'll  soon  get  tired  of  your  new  home,  I 
reckon." 

With  such  conversation  Harry  beguiled  the 
way.  On  the  whole,  he  enjoyed  the  ride. 
There  were  hills,  and  here  and  there  the  road 
ran  through  the  woods.  He  could  hear  the 
singing  of  birds,  and,  notwithstanding  what 
he  had  heard,  he  felt  in  good  spirits.  There 
are  times  Avhen  the  young,  buoyed  by  hope, 
fancy  it  is  easy  to  conquer  the  world.  The 
future  looks  rose-colored,  and  success  seems 
certain.  Harry  was  in  such  a  mood.  He  was 
coming  to  an  uncongenial  home  and  among 
sordid,  mean  people,  but  he  did  not  care  for 
that. 

"I  shan't  have  to  live  with  them  any  longer 
than  I  like,"  he  said  to  himself. 

It  is  well  that  youth  is  so  hopeful  and  san- 
guine. There  are  trials  and  difficulties 
enough  in  store  in  most  cases.  Hope  and 
courage  make  them  easier  to  meet,  and  easier 
to  overcome. 

At  length  the  stage  entered  the  village  af 
Colebrook.  It  was  a  village  of  moderate  size 
—about  two  hundred  houses  being  scattered 


Facing   the   World.  15 

over  a  tract  half  a  mile  square.  Occupying  a 
central  position  was  the  tavern,  a  square,  two- 
story  building,  with  a  piazza  in  front,  on  which 
was  congregated  a  number  of  villagers.  Af- 
ter rapidly  scanning  them,  the  driver  said: 

"Do  you  see  that  tall  man  leanin'  against  a 
post?" 

"Yes." 

"That's  your  guardeen  I  That's  John  Fox 
himself,  as  large  as  life,  and  just  about  as 
homely." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  DANGER  SIGNAL. 

The  man  pointed  out  to  Harry  as  his  guar- 
dian was  tall,  loosely  put  together,  with  a 
sharp,  thin  visage  surrounded  by  a  thicket  of 
dull-red  hair.  He  came  forward,  as  Harry 
jumped  to  the  ground  after  descending  from 
his  elevated  perch,  and  said:  "I  reckon  this  i« 
Harry  Vane?" 

"That  is  my  name,  sir." 

"Glad  to  see  you.  Just  take  your  traps,  and 
come  along  with  me.  Mis'  Fox  will  have  sup- 
per ready  by  the  time  we  come." 

Harry  was  not,  on  the  whole,  attracted  hy 


1 6  Facing   the   World. 

the  appearance  of  his  guardian.  There  was  a 
crafty  look  about  the  eyes  of  Mr.  Fox,  which 
seemed  to  make  his  name  appropriate.  He 
surveyed  his  young  ward  critically. 

"You're  pretty  well  grown,"  he  said. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"And  look  stout  and  strong." 

"I  believe  I  am  both." 

"My  boy,  Joel,  is  as  tall  as  you,  but  not  so 
hefty." 

"How  old  is  he,  Mr.  Fox?" 

"Close  on  to  sixteen." 

"So  am  I." 

"He's  goin'  to  be  tall,  like  me.  He's  a  sharpf 
boy — Joel." 

"Perhaps  he  has  an  advantage  of  me  in 
that,"  said  Harry,  smiling. 

"You  look  sharp  enough." 

"Thank  you." 

"I  guess  you  can  wrastle  round  and  make  a 
livin'." 

"I  hope  so." 

"By  the  way,  you  didn't  write  how  mucS 
property  your  father  left." 

"No,  I  didn't  think  of  it." 

"It's  really  important,  though;  as  your 
guardeen  I  ought  to  know."  i 

"After  the  funeral  bills  are  paid,  I  presume 
there'll  be  about  three  hundred  dollars.** 


Facing   the   World.  17 

Mr.  Fox  stopped  short  and  whistled. 

"Sho!"  he  exclaimed;  "is  that  all?" 

"There  may  be  a  few  dollars  more." 

"Well,  well,"  said  John  Fox,  in  evident  dis- 
appointment. "I  thought  there'd  be  a  good 
deal  more — maybe  three  thousand  dollars." 

"Father  hadn't  much  talent  at  making 
money,"  said  Harry,  soberly. 

"I  should  say  not.  Why,  that  money  won't 
last  you  no  time  at  all." 

"I  mean  to  make  it  last  a  good  while,  Mr. 
Fox." 

"How?" 

"I  am  old  enough  to  work  for  a  living. 
Isn't  there  something  I  can  find  to  do  in  Cole- 
brook?" 

"We'll  think  of  that,"  said  John  Fox,  sur- 
veying Harry's  strongly  knit,  though  boyish, 
form,  thoughtfully.  "Have  you  been  used  to 
horses?" 

"Father  didn't  own  any  horses,  but  a  neigh- 
bor of  ours  did,  and  I've  taken  care  of  them  a 
week  at  a  time  when  his  son  was  away." 

"That's  good.  Boys  ought  to  know  about 
horses.  We  had  a  city  boy  down  here  last 
summer  who  was  afraid  of  horses.  He  didn't 
dare  to  go  into  the  stall  with  them." 

"I  don't  think  you'll  find  me  afraid  of 
horses.    Do  you  keep  any?" 


1 8  Facing    the   World. 

"I  mostly  have  two  or  three  on  hand.  I  d0 
considerable  tradin'  horses," 

^'Does  your  son  like  horses?" 

"Well,  middlin'.  He's  used  to  drivin'  'em. 
He  ain't  got  such  a  fancy  for  'em  as  I  have.  I 
tell  you  what^  Harry — that's  your  name,  isn't 
it?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"I  guess  I  can  give  you  work  myself. 
There's  always  more  or  less  to  do  round  a 
place.  I  keep  a  man  part  of  the  time,  but,  I 
reckon  I  can  let  him  go  and  take  you  on  in- 
stead. You  see,  that  w^ill  count  on  your  board, 
and  you  don't  want  to  spend  your  money  too 
fast." 

"How  much  are  you  willing  to  pay  me,  Mr. 
Fox?" 

"We'll  settle  that  after  a  week,  when  I  see 
how  well  you  work,"  replied  Mr.  Fox,  cau« 
tiously. 

"Very  well,  sir.  There's  only  one  thing  I 
will  stipulate ;  I  will  wait  a  day  or  two  before 
going  to  work.  I  want  to  look  about  the  place 
a  little." 

"Just  as  you  say,  but  I'd  like  to  get  you 
started  as  soon  as  possible." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  they 
had  traveled  a  considerable  distance.  A  little 
distance    ahead    appeared    a    square    hous^ 


Facing    the   World.  19 

painted  yellow,  with  a  barn  a  little  back  on 
the  left,  and  two  old  wagons  alongside. 

"That's  my  house,"  said  John  Fox. 

"Is  it?" 

"Yes,  it  was  the  old  Payson  place.  I  had  a 
mortgage  on  it  which  old  Caleb  Payson 
couldn't  pay,  so  I  took  possession  six  years 
ago." 

"And  what  became  of  the  former  owner?" 

"Old  Caleb?  He  died  in  the  poorhouse  last 
year." 

"That  w^as  a  sad  fate." 

"Well,  he  had  enough  to  eat,  and  didn't 
•want  for  nothin'.  I  made  a  pretty  good  bar- 
gain, for  the  place  was  worth  thirty  per  cent, 
more  than  the  face  of  the  mortgage.  Still,  as 
there  was  nobody  wanted  it  enough  to  bid 
more,  I  got  it  for  the  face  of  the  mortgage. 
There's  twenty  acres  belongs  to  it." 

"It  seems  as  if  Mr.  Payson  ought  to  have 
received  the  full  value  of  the  place,"  said 
Harry,  thinking  with  pity  of  the  old  man  who 
had  to  leave  his  old  home  and  live  on  the 
town. 

"That's  a  very  unpractical  remark,  Harry 
iVane,"  said  John  Fox,  somewhat  contemptu- 
ously. "It  shows  you  ain't  used  to  business. 
But  here's  Joel." 

Joel,  a  tall  boy  in  figure,  like  his  father. 


20  Facing    the   World. 

liere  came  forward,  and  was  introduced  by  his 
father.    He  eyed  Harry  with  sharp  curiosity. 

"How  are  ye?"  said  Joel,  extending  a  red 
hand,  covered  with  warts. 

"Pretty  well,  thank  you,"  said  Harry,  not 
much  attracted  to  his  new  acquaintance. 

"Here's  Sally,  too !"  said  John  Fox.  "Sally, 
this  is  my  ward,  Harry  Vane." 

Sally,  who  bore  a  striking  family  resem- 
blance to  her  father  and  brother,  giggled. 

"Don't  be  bashful,  Sally.  Shake  hands 
with  the  boy!" 

Sally  extended  her  hand  shyly,  and  giggled 
again. 

"I  leave  you  young  folks  to  get  acquainted, 
and  will  go  into  the  house,  and  see  if  your 
mother  has  got  supper  ready." 

"Ain't  he  nice  lookin'!"  said  Sally,  in  an 
audible  aside  to  Joel. 

Harry  heard  the  remark  and  felt  uncom- 
fortable. It  was  flattering,  but  compliments 
from  a  gijl  like  Sally  Fox  didn't  seem  to  af- 
fect him. 

The  three  young  people  got  better  ac- 
quainted within  the  next  fifteen  minutes, 
when  they  were  called  to  supper,  but  I  have  a 
special  reason  for  postponing  any  immediate 
account  of  their  conference.  Mrs.  Fox,  to 
whom  Harry  was  introduced  at  the  supper 


Facing   the   World.  21 

table,  was  as  peculiar  in  her  appearance,  and 
as  destitute  of  beauty  as  the  rest  of  the  fam- 
ily. She  was  prepared  to  be  very  attentive  to 
Harry,  but,  having  learned  from  her  husband 
the  moderate  amount  of  his  fortune,  thought 
it  hardly  worth  while  to  be  more  than  coldly 

civil. 
:««*«»«*«- 

The  next  day,  Harry,  feeling,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, rather  homesick,  declined  Joel's  com- 
pany, and  took  an  extended  stroll  about  the 
town.  He  found  that  though  the  railway  by 
which  he  had  come  was  eight  miles  distant, 
there  was  another,  passing  within  a  mile  of 
the  village.  He  struck  upon  it,  and  before  pro- 
ceeding far  made  a  startling  discovery.  There 
had  been  some  heavy  rains,  which  had  washed 
out  the  road  for  a  considerable  distance,  caus- 
ing the  track  to  give  way. 

"Good  heavens !"  thought  Harry,  "if  a  train 
comes  over  the  road  before  this  is  mended^ 
there'll  be  a  wreck  and  loss  of  life.  What  can 
I  do?" 

Just  across  a  field  stood  a  small  house.  In 
the  yard  the  week's  washing  was  hung  out. 
[Among  the  articles  was  a  red  tablecloth. 

"May  I  borrow  that  tablecloth?"  asked 
iHarry,  in  excitement,  of  a  woman  in  the  door- 
:way. 


22  Facing    the   World. 

"Land  sakes!  what  for?"  slie  asked. 

"To  signal  the  train.  The  road's  washed 
away." 

"Yes,  yes;  I'm  expectin'  my  darter  on  that 
train,"  answered  the  woman,  now  as  excited 
as  our  hero.  "Hurry  up!  the  train's  due  in 
fifteen  minutes." 

Seizing  the  tablecloth,  Harry  ran  back  to 
the  railroad.  He  hurried  down  the  track 
west  of  a  curve  which  was  a  few  hundred  feet 
beyond  the  washout,  and  saw  the  train  coming 
at  full  speed. 

He  jumped  on  a  fence  skirting  the  tracks, 
and  waved  the  tablecloth  wildly. 

"Will  they  see  it?"  he  asked  himself,  anx- 
iously. 


,  CHAPTER  IV. 

A  GOOD  morning's  WORK. 

It  was  an  anxious  moment  for  Harry  as  he 
stood  waving  the  danger  signal,  uncertain 
whether  it  would  attract  the  attention  of  the 
engineer.  It  did!  The  engineer,  though  not 
understanding  the  meaning  of  the  signal,  not 
knowing,  indeed,  but  it  might  be  a  boy's  freak, 


Facing   the   World  23 

prudeutly  heeded  it,  and  reversing  the  en- 
gine, stopped  the  train  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  place  of  danger. 

"Thank  God!"  exclaimed  Harry,  breathing 
a  deep  sigh  of  relief. 

The  engineer  alighted  from  the  train,  and, 
when  he  looked  ahead,  needed  no  explanation. 

"My  boy!"  he  said,  with  a  shudder,  "you 
have  saved  the  train." 

"I  am  glad  of  it.  My  heart  was  in  my 
mouth,  lest  you  should  not  see  my  signal." 

By  this  time  the  passengers,  whose  curiosity 
had  been  roused  by  the  sudden  halt,  began  to 
pour  out  of  the  cars. 

When  they  saw  the  washout,  strong  men 
turned  pale,  and  ladies  grew  faint,  while  many 
a  fervent  ejaculation  of  gratitude  was  heard 
at  the  wonderful  escape. 

"We  owe  our  lives  to  this  boy !"  said  the  en- 
gineer. "It  was  he  who  stood  on  the  fence  and 
signaled  me.  We  owe  our  deliverance  to  this 
—tablecloth." 

One  impressible  lady,  who  had  two  young 
children  with  her,  threw  her  arms  round  Har- 
ry's neck,  and  kissed  him,  much  to  our  hero's 
embarrassment,  while  half  a  dozen  gentlemen 
shook  hands  with  him. 

A  small  man,  somewhat  portly,  pushed  his 
way  up  to  Harry. 


24  Facing   the   World. 

"What  is  your  name,  my  lad?"  he  asked, 
brusquely. 

"Harry  Vane." 

"Where  do  you  live?" 

"In  Colebrook — at  present." 

"When  did  you  discover  this  washout?" 

"Not  over  ten  minutes  since." 

"And  where  did  you  get  your  signal,  my 
boy?" 

"In  the  yard  of  yonder  house,  sir." 

"You  have  shown  wonderful  promptness 
and  presence  of  mind.  Probably  you  don't 
know  me." 

"No,  sir." 

"I  am  the  president  and  leading  stockholder 
of  the  road,  and  my  property  has  come  very 
near  being  the  death  of  me.  Gentlemen" — 
here  the  president  turned  to  the  group  of  gen- 
tlemen around  him — "don't  you  think  this  boy 
deserves  a  testimonial?" 

"Yes,  yes!"  returned  the  gentlemen,  in 
chorus. 

"So  do  I,  and  I  lead  off  with  a  subscription 
of  twenty  dollars." 

"Here's  another  twenty !" 

"And  here's  ten!" 

"Here's  five!" 

So  one  after  another  followed  the  president's 
lead,  the  president  himself  making  the  rounds 


Facing   the   World.  25 

bareheaded,  and  gathering  the  contributions  in 
his  hat. 

"Oh,  sir!"  said  Harry,  as  soon  as  he  under- 
stood what  was  going  forward,  "don't  reward 
me  for  what  was  only  my  duty.  I  should  be 
ashamed  to  accept  anything  for  the  little  I 
have  done." 

"You  may  count  it  little  to  save  the  lives 
of  a  train  full  of  people,"  said  the  president, 
dryly,  "but  we  set  a  slight  value  upon  our  lives 
and  limbs.    Are  you  rich?" 
'     "No,  sir." 

"So  I  thought.  Well,  you  needn't  be 
ashamed  to  accept  a  little  testimonial  of  our 
gTatitude." 

"Let  me  do  my  share,"  said  a  young  lady,  as 
she  dropped  a  bill  into  the  hat. 

"Certainly,  miss.  The  ladies  are  by  no 
means  to  be  slighted." 

When  all  so  disposed  had  contributed,  the 
president  handed  the  pile  of  bills  to  our  young 
friend,  Harry. 

"Take  them,  my  boy,"  he  said,  "and  make 
good  use  of  them.  I  shall  owe  you  a  consider- 
able balance,  for  I  value  my  life  at  more  than 
twenty  dollars.  Here  is  my  card.  If  you  ever 
need  a  friend,  or  a  service,  call  on  me." 

Then  the  president  gave  directions  to  the 
engineer  to  run  back  to  the  preceding  station, 


26  Facing    the   World. 

where  there  was  a  telegraph  ojBQce,  from  which 
messages  could  be  sent  in  both  directions  to 
warn  trains  of  the  washout. 

Though  it  has  taken  considerable  time  to 
narrate  this  incident,  the  time  consumed  was 
very  brief,  and  Harry  was  left  with  his  hands 
full  of  money,  hardly  knowing  Avhether  he  was 
awake  or  dreaming. 

One  thing  seemed  to  him  only  fair — to  give 
the  owner  of  the  tablecloth  some  small  share 
of  the  money,  as  an  acknowledgment  for  the 
use  of  her  property. 

"Here,  madam,"  said  Harry,  when  he  had 
retraced  his  steps  to  the  house,  "is  your  table- 
cloth, for  which  I  am  much  obliged.  It  saved 
the  train." 

"Well,  I'm  thankful !  Little  did  I  ever  think 
a  tablecloth  would  do  so  much  good.  Why,  it 
only  cost  me  a  dollar  and  a  quarter." 

"Allow  me  to  ask  your  acceptance  of  this 
bill  to  pay  you  for  the  use  of  it." 

"Land  sakes!  why,  you've  given  me  ten  dol- 
lars!" 

"It's  all  right.  It  came  from  the  passen* 
gers.     They  gave  me  something,  too." 

"How  much  did  they  give  you?" 

"I  don't  know  yet,"  answered  Harry,  think- 
ing it  unwise  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  the 
good  lady. 


Facing   the   World.  27 

"Did  they  say  this  money  was  for  me?"  she 
asked. 

"No;  but  I'm  sure  they  would  think  you 
ought  to  have  it." 

"Well,  I'm  sure  I'm  very  much  obleeged. 
Ten  dollars!  Why,  I  haven't  hed  so  much 
money  in  a  long  time.' 

"You  can  buy  a  new  tablecloth." 

"No,  I  won't;  the  old  one  will  do.  I'll  buy 
me  a  shawl  to  wear  Sundays.  I  haven't  had 
one  since  I  was  married.  You  didn't  tell  me 
your  name." 

"My  name  is  Harry  Vane." 

"Do  you  live  round  here?  I  never  heerd 
the  name  afore." 

"I've  just  come  to  the  village.  I'm  going  to 
live  with  John  Fox." 

"You  don't  say!   Be  you  any  kin  to  Fox?'* 

"Not  very  near.     He's  my  guardian." 

"Sho!  you  don't  say.  Well,  I  hope  you'll 
like  him." 

She  spoke  in  rather  a  dubious  tone.  Harry 
smiled.  He  had  already  made  up  his  mind  on 
that  subject,  but  did  not  care  to  take  a  stran- 
ger into  his  confidence. 

"I  hope  so,"  he  said. 

"If  he  hears  you've  had  any  money  give  you, 
he'll  want  to  take  care  of  it  for  you." 

This    consideration    had    not    occurred   to 


28  Facing   the   World. 

Harry.  Indeed,  he  had  for  so  short  a  time 
been  the  possessor  of  the  money,  of  which  he 
did  not  know  the  amount,  that  this  was  not 
surprising. 

"Well,  good-morning!"  he  said. 

"Good-mornin' !  It's  been  a  lucky  mornin' 
for  both  of  us.  Hadn't  you  better  see  how 
much  money  you've  got?" 

"Not  now.    I'm  in  a  hurry." 

Indeed,  Harry  had  some  curiosity  on  the 
subject  himself.  He  was  not  quite  sure 
whether  he  ought  to  have  accepted  money  for 
the  service  he  had  rendered,  but  then  the  presi- 
dent of  the  road  thought  it  right,  and  our  hero 
felt  in  his  own  case  that  he  wojild  have  liked  to 
do  something  for  a  person  who  had  saved  his 
life.  So  he  quieted  his  scruples,  and  deter- 
mined to  accept  thankfully  what  had  been 
showered  upon  him. 

"I  must  go  somewhere  where  I  can  count 
this  money  unobserved,"  he  said  to  himself. 

Not  far  away  he  saw  a  ruined  shed.  Near  it 
w^ere  the  charred  remains  of  a  house  that  had 
been  consumed.  The  shed  had  not  been  much 
injured. 

Harr-y  entered  the  shed,  and  sitting  down  on 
a  log,  took  out  the  bills,  which  he  had  hur- 
riedly stuffed  in  his  pocket,  and  began  to  count 
them. 


Facing   the   World.  29 

It  is  not  necessary  to  detail  the  counting. 
The  sum  total  is  what  we  want  to  find  out. 
It  was  large  enough  to  amaze  and  gratify  him. 
Though  a  majority  of  the  bills  were  small, 
there  were  many  of  them,  and  the  aggregate 
sum  was  two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  dollars 
and  fifty  cents. 

The  fifty  cents  had  been  dropped  into  the 
hat  by  a  child. 

Had  Harry  retained  the  ten  dollars  given 
to  the  owner  of  the  tablecloth,  he  would  have 
had  within  fifty  cents  of  three  hundred  dollars. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Harry's  savings  bank. 

"Almost  three  hundred  dollars!"  mur- 
mured Harry,  joyously.  "It  has  been,  indeed, 
a  lucky  morning  for  me.  It  has  nearly  doubled 
my  property." 

The  question  arose  in  his  mind :  "Should  he 
give  this  money  to  Mr.  Fox  to  keep  for  him?" 

Had  his  guardian  been  a  man  like  Mr.  How- 
ard, he  would  have  had  no  hesitation  in  giving 
this  windfall  into  his  hands.  But  he  had 
formed  a  poor  opinion  of  John  Fox,  apart 
from  the  unfavorable  accounts  he  had  heard 


30  Facing    the   World. 

of  him,  and  was  beginning  to  be  sorry  he  had 
come  into  his  charge. 

"No,"  he  decided,  "I  won't  give  him  this 
money.  I  won't  even  let  him  know  I  have  it.'^ 
Where,  then,  could  he  conceal  it?  He  could 
not  very  well  carry  it  about  with  him  all  the 
time.  Moreover,  it  would  be  dangerous.  If 
he  could  put  it  in  a  savings  bank,  that  might 
answer,  but  should  Mr.  Fox  learn  that  he  had 
a  deposit  anywhere,  he  might,  as  guardian, 
have  power  to  claim  it.  On  the  whole,  Harry 
felt  puzzled  to  know  what  to  do  with  his  sud- 
denly acquired  wealth. 

"I  wish  I  had  asked  the  president  of  the 
road  to  take  care  of  the  money  for  me," 
thought  Harry.  "It  would  have  been  safe  in 
his  hands." 

Still  undecided,  our  hero  walked  over  to  the 
ruined  house,  and  began  to  look  about  him. 
In  one  corner,  he  noticed  a  little,  leather-cov- 
ered, black  trunk,  not  more  than  a  foot  long, 
and  six  inches  deep,  which  was  apparently  un- 
injured, having  been  thrown  out  of  a  window. 
It  was  locked,  but  a  small  key  was  in  the  lock. 

An  idea  struck  him.  He  would  convert  this 
miniature  trunk  into  a  cash  box,  and  deposit 
his  wealth  therein.  He  could  no  doubt  conceal 
it  somewhere  afterwards. 

Opening  the  trunk  he  found  it  empty.    The 


Facing   the   World.  31 

lock  seemed  in  good  condition.  He  made  a 
pile  of  the  bills,  and  depositing  them  in  this 
receptacle,  locked  the  trunk  and  put  the  key 
in  his  pocket. 

Now  for  a  place  of  concealment. 

Harry  came  out  of  the  shed,  and  looked 
scrutinizingly  around  him.  Not  far  away  was 
a  sharp  elevation  surmounted  by  trees.  With- 
out any  definite  idea,  Harry,  box  in  hand,  as- 
cended the  elevation,  and  from  the  top  had  an 
extended  view  of  the  neighborhood.  This, 
however,  was  not  what  he  wanted.  The  hill 
was  of  a  gravelly  formation,  and  therefore  dry. . 
At  one  point  near  a  withered  tree,  our  hero 
detected  a  cavity,  made  either  by  accident  or 
design.  Its  location  near  the  tree  made  it  easy 
to  discover. 

"Why  not  hide  the  trunk  here?"  he  said  to 
himself. 

The  more  he  thought  of  it,  the  more  he  liked 
the  idea.  It  might  not  be  a  good  permanent 
hiding  place,  but  it  would  do  till  he  had  to 
time  to  think  of  another. 

With  a  little  labor  he  enlarged  and  deepened 
the  hole,  till  he  could  easily  store  away  the 
box  in  its  recess,  then  covered  it  up  carefully, 
and  strewed  grass  and  leaves  over  all  to  hide 
the  traces  of  excavation. 

"There,  that  will  do,"  he  said,  in  a  tone  of 


32  Facing   the   World. 

satisfaction.    "Let  Mr.  Fox  find  it  if  he  can." 

He  had  reserved  for  possible  need  fifteen 
dollars  in  small  bills,  which  he  put  into  his 
pocketbook.  He  had  been  reduced  to  a  single 
dollar  after  defraying  the  expenses  of  his  jour- 
mey,  but  now  he  felt  quite  in  funds.  Having 
no  further  business  on  the  hillock,  he  de- 
scended to  the  railway,  and  took  his  way  home- 
ward, without  passing  the  scene  of  the  wash- 
out. 

Had  he  done  so  he  would  have  found  his  re- 
spected guardian,  and  quite  a  large  number  of 
the  village  people  on  the  spot,  looking  curi- 
©usly  about  them. 

John  Fox  had  heard  the  news  in  the  post 
office,  and  had  started  off  at  once  for  the  scene 
©f  danger.  He  had  a  keen  scent  for  possible 
advantage,  and  not  being  sure  when  he  started 
but  there  had  really  been  a  smash-up — such 
"was  the  erroneous  report  that  had  come  to  the 
tillage — thought  it  possible  that  he  might  dis- 
eover  something  thrown  away  by  terrified  pas- 
sengers that  would  be  of  use  to  him.  I  am  not 
prepared  to  say  that  he  was  disappointed  to 
find  that  the  danger  had  been  averted,  but  he 
was,  at  any  rate,  sorry  that  he  was  not  likely 
to  be  repaid  for  his  journey. 

"How'd  they  hear  of  the  washout?"  he  asked, 
puzzled. 


Facing   the   World.  33 

"I  heerd  that  a  boy  discovered  it,  and  sig- 
naled the  train,"  said  his  neighbor. 

"A  boy!    What  boy?" 

"I  didn't  hear  tell." 

"How  did  he  do  it?" 

"Waved  a  shawl,  or  somethin'.  The  engi- 
neer saw  it,  and  stopped  the  cars." 

John  Fox  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"That  don't  seem  likely,"  was  his  comment? 
"where  would  a  boy  find  a  shawl?  He  didn't 
wear  it,  did  he?" 

His  informant  looked  puzzled. 

"Like  as  not  he  borrowed  it  of  Mrs.  Brock," 
he  suggested. 

Mrs.  Brock  was  the  woman  living  in  the 
small  house  near  by,  so  that  the  speaker's  sur- 
mise was  correct.  It  struck  John  Fox  as  possi* 
ble,  and  he  said  so. 

"I  guess  I'll  go  and  ask  the  Widder  Brock," 
he  said.  "She  must  have  seen  the  train,  livin' 
so  near  as  she  does." 

"I'll  go  along  with  you." 

The  two  men  soon  found  themselves  on  Mrs. 
Brock's  premises.  The  widow  was  out  in  the 
yard,  hanging  some  clothes  on  the  line. 

"Good-mornin',  Mrs.  Brock,"  said  John  Fox* 
"You've  come  nigh  havin'  a  causality  here,  I 
hear." 

This  was  doubtless  meant  for  casualty,  but 


34  Facing    the    World. 

Mr.  Fox  was  not  always  correct  in  his  lan- 
guage. 

"You're  right  there,  Mr.  Fox,"  answered 
Mrs.  Brock.  "I  was  awful  skeered  about  it, 
for  I  thought  my  Nancy  might  be  on  the  train. 
When  the  boy  run  into  ray  yard " 

"The  boy!  What  boy?"  asked  Fox,  eagerly. 
It  was  the  same  question  he  had  asked  before. 

"Land  sakes!  don't  you  know?"  asked  Mrs. 
Brock,  in  surprise. 

"How  should  I  know.    I've  only  just  come.'^ 

"Why,  it  was  your  boy." 

"My  boy?  I  left  Joel  at  home.  I  don't  see 
how  he  came  here." 

"It  wasn't  Joel.  It  was  that  boy  you  are 
guardeen  of." 

"What!  Harry  Vane?"  ejaculated  Fox,  in 
genuine  surprise. 

"I  don't  know  his  name.    He  didn't  tell  me." 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,  Mrs.  Brock.  If  it  was 
my  ward,  I  want  to  know  all  that's  took 
place." 

"Well,  you  see,  he  ran  into  my  yard  all  out 
of  breath,  and  grabbin'  a  red  tablecloth  from 
the  line,  asked  me  if  I  would  lend  it  to  him. 
*Land  sakes!'  says  I,  'what  do  you  want  of  a 
tablecloth?" 

"  ^The  track's  washed  away,'  he  said,  'and  I 
"want  to  signal  the  train.     There's  danger  of 


Facing   the   World.  3jJ 

an  accident.'  Of  course  I  let  him  have  it,  and 
he  did  signal  the  train,  standin'  on  the  fence, 
and  wavin'  the  tablecloth.  So  the  train  was 
saved." 

"And  did  he  bring  back  the  tablecloth?" 

"Of  course  he  did,  and  that  wasn't  all.  He 
brought  me  a  ten-dollar  bill  to  pay  for  the  use 
of  it." 

"Gave  you  a  ten-dollar  bill !"  exclaimed  John 
Fox,  in  amazement.  "That  was  very  wrong. 
I  am  his  guardeen,  and  I  can't  allow  him  to 
waste  his  money  in  that  way." 

"You  needn't  trouble  yourself,  John  Fox,'^ 
said  Mrs.  Brock,  indignantly.  "You  hadn't  no 
claim  on  the  money  if  you  are  his  guardian. 
A  collection  was  took  up  by  the  passengers, 
and  given  to  the  boy,  and  he  thought  I  ought 
to  have  pay  for  the  use  of  the  tablecloth,  so 
he  gave  me  a  ten-dollar  bill — and  a  little  gen- 
tleman he  is,  too  I" 

"A  collection  taken  up  for  my  ward?"  re- 
peated Fox,  pricking  up  his  ears.  "Well,  well^ 
that  is  news.  Do  you  know  how  much  there 
was?" 

"No,  he  didn't  tell  me." 

"I  must  look  into  this,"  continued  Fox, 
much  interested.  "Do  you  think  there  was  as 
much  as  thirty  dollars?" 

"Land  sakes!  how  should  I  know?" 


36  Facing    the    World. 

"If  there  wasn't,  he  shouldn't  have  given  you 
so  much  mone3\  Ten  dollars  for  the  use  of  an 
M  tablecloth !   The  boy  must  be  crazy !" 

"If  it  had  been  you,  I  wouldn't  have  got  ten 
cents,"  retorted  Mrs.  Brock. 

"A  quarter  would  have  paid  you  well,  wid- 
der !" 

"I  don't  want  any  of  your  quarters,  and  I 
liope  the  boy'll  keep  his  money." 

But  John  Pox  was  already  on  his  way  back 
to  the  road.    He  was  anxious  to  find  his  ward. 


CnAPTER  VI. 

HARRY  DISAGREES  WITH  HIS  GUARDIAN. 

Harry  and  his  guardian  met  at  the  dinner 
table.  Mrs.  Fox  had  provided  a  boiled  dinner, 
to  which  Harry  was  ready  to  do  justice,  not 
©nly  on  account  of  his  long  forenoon  walk,  but 
also  because  the  breakfast,  taken  at  half -past 
six,  had  not  been  palatable.  He  gained  accord- 
ingly in  the  good  opinion  of  Mrs.  Fox,  who  had 
decided  in  the  morning  that  he  was  dainty, 
and  disdained  her  humble  fare. 

Mr.  Fox  seemed  unusually  pleasant. 

■''I  find,  Harry,"  he  said,  clearing  his  throat. 


Facing   the   World.  37^ 

**i^hat  you  have  already  been  distinguishing 
yourself." 

His  wife  and  son  both  looked  up  in  surprise. 
They  had  not  heard  of  the  washout,  nor  of 
Harry's  success  in  saving  the  railroad  train. 

"Then  you  heard  of  the  narrow  escape  of  the 
train?"  said  Harry. 

"Yes,  I  heard  that  but  for  your  presence  of 
mind,  and  Mrs.  Brock's  tablecloth,  there  would 
have  been  a  smash-up." 

"What  on  earth  are  you  talkin'  about,  John 
Fox?"  demanded  hirf  wife,  curiously. 

"Well,  you  see,  Maria,  the  rain  of  last  night 
■washed  away  part  of  the  railroad  track,  and 
the  train  would  have  been  plunged  into  a  gully, 
if  our  young  boarder  here  hadn't  seen  the  dan^ 
ger,  and,  borrowin'  a  tablecloth  from  Mrs, 
Brock,  signaled  the  train." 

"You  don't  say?  What  on  earth  was  the 
boy  doin'  out  that  way?" 

"I  was  exploring  the  town,  Mrs.  Fox,"  an- 
swered Harry,  with  a  smile. 

"That  isn't  all,"  resumed  John  Fox.  "The 
passengers  took  up  a  contribution,  and  I  ex- 
pect gave  quite  a  handsome  sum  to  our  young 
friend." 

"I  wish  I'd  been  there !"  said  Joel,  enviously, 

"Joel  is  never  in  luck !"  said  his  mother,  in 
accents  of  regret. 


38  Facing    the   World. 

"If  I'd  only  known  there  was  goin'  to  be  an 
accident,"  complained  Joel. 

"I  didn't  know,"  Harry  felt  called  upon  tx) 
remark. 

"No,  it  was  your  luck !"  observed  Mrs.  Fox, 
with  some  asperity.  She  was  a  woman  who 
was  jealous  of  any  good  fortune  falling  to  those 
outside  of  her  own  family  circle.  She  would 
have  had  all  the  rain  fall  on  her  husband's 
farm,  if  there  hadn't  been  enough  to  "go 
round."  She  felt  really  aggrieved  that  Harry, 
instead  of  Joel,  had  had  the  good  luck  to  save 
the  train. 

"How  much  did  the  folks  give  you?"  asked 
Joel,  eagerly. 

"I  was  about  to  ask  that  question  myself," 
said  his  father,  smoothly. 

This  was  the  question  which  Harry  feared 
would  be  put  to  him.  He  hardly  knew  what  to 
say.  He  did  not  choose  to  give  an  accurate  an- 
swer, and  felt  justified  in  a  little  evasion. 

"I've  got  fifteen  dollars  left,"  he  replied.  "I 
gave  some  money  to  Mrs.  Brock  for  the  use  of 
the  tablecloth." 

Fox  looked  disappointed  and  disgusted. 

"You  don't  mean  to  say,"  he  ejaculated, 
sharply,  "that  you  gave  away  almost  half  of 
your  money  for  the  use  of  an  old  tablecloth 
that  would  be  dear  at  a  dollar?" 


Facing    the   World.  39 

"If  I  hadn't  had.  the  tablecloth,  I  couldn't 
have  attracted  the  engineer's  attention,"  said 
Harry,  mildly. 

"You  must  be  crazy  to  throw  away  money 
like  that,"  said  John  Fox,  angrily.  "As  your 
guardeen,  I  have  a  right  to  protest  against 
it." 

"You  must  remember,  Mr.  Fox,"  said  Harry, 
firmly,  "that  you  are  my  guardian  so  far  as  the 
money  left  me  by  my  father  goes.  This  was 
a  special  windfall." 

"I  should  say  you  needed  a  guardeen  if  you 
are  goin'  to  throw  away  money  in  that  style. 
Mrs.  Fox,  what  do  you  say  to  his  givin'  ten 
dollars  for  the  use  of  an  old  red  tablecloth?" 

"I  say  that  I'd  sell  all  my  tablecloths  for 
that  money.  As  you  say,  the  boy  acted  like  a 
fool." 

"A  dollar  would  have  been  handsome — mu- 
nificent," proceeded  Fox,  stumbling  a  little 
over  the  last  word. 

"Ten  cents  would  have  been  enough,"  said 
Mrs.  Fox,  whom  her  best  friends  had  never 
credited  with  liberality, 

"And  you  might  have  given  me  the  rest  of 
the  ten  dollars,"  chimed  in  Joel. 

"To   be   sure!"   said   his   mother.      "You'd 
ought  to  have  thought  of  them  that  live  in  the. 
same  house  with  you." 


40  Facing   the   World. 

"When  I  heard  you'd  given  ten  dollars  to 
the  Widder  Brock,"  continued  Mr.  Fox,  "I 
concluded,  of  course,  that  you  must  have  re- 
ceived fifty  dollars." 

"Twenty-five  would  satisfy  me,"  added 
Joel. 

"To  be  sure,  but  railroad  accidents  don't 
come  every  day." 

"I  acted  according  to  my  judgment,"  said 
Harry,  calmly. 

"Then  I  don't  think  much  of  your  judgment 
— that's  all  I  say,"  observed  Mrs.  Fox. 

There  was  a  little  more  conversation  on  the 
subject,  but  Harry  remained  tranquil,  and  did 
not  appear  disturbed  by  the  criticisms  elicited 
by  his  conduct.  He  heartily  hoped  that  his 
guardian's  family  would  not  find  out  how 
large  a  sum  he  had  received. 

When  dinner  was  over,  Harry  was  about  to 
leave  the  house,  when  John  Fox  said,  insinu- 
atingly: "Don't  you  think  you'd  better  give 
me  that  money  to  keep  for  you?" 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Fox,"  said  Harry,  "but  I 
think  I  can  take  care  of  it  myself." 

"Fifteen  dollars  is  a  good  deal  of  money  for 
a  boy  like  you  to  carry  round  with  you." 

"I  don't  think  I  shall  lose  it,  sir." 

"Perhaps  not,  but  you  will  be  tempted  to 
spend  it  wastefully." 


Facing   the   World.  41 

"I  don't  think  so,  sir.  I  am  not  rich  enough 
to  venture  to  waste  my  money." 

"I'm  sorry  you  don't  look  at  the  matter  in 
the  right  light,  Harry.  Allow  me  to  remind 
you  that  I  am  your  guardeen." 

"Yes,  sir;  I  am  quite  aware  of  that  fact. 
The  little  property  that  my  father  left  me  will 
be  placed  in  your  hands." 

"Ahem !  It  entitles  me  to  your  earnings,  be- 
sides." 

"I  don't  agree  with  you,  Mr.  Fox." 

"I  am  considerably  older  than  you  are, 
Harry,  and  you  can  trust  my  judgment.  You'd 
better  hand  me  the  money." 

"I  must  decline  to  do  so,  Mr.  Fox.  I  will 
promise  you,  however,  to  take  good  care  of  it, 
and  not  waste  it." 

John  Fox  didn't  look  amiable.  He  was  in 
doubt  whether  he  might  not  properly  take 
from  his  ward  the  money  by  force,  but  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  it  would  be  better  not  to 
assert  his  authority  quite  so  soon. 

"We  will  speak  of  this  again,"  he  said. 
"Think  over  what  I  have  said,  and  you  will 
see  that  I  am  in  the  right." 

When  Harry  went  out  of  doors,  Joel  fol- 
lowed him. 

"I  say,  Harry,"  he  began,  "you're  awful 
lucky." 


42  Facing    the   World. 

"I  think  the  passengers  on  the  train  were 
awful  lucky,  as  you  express  it." 

"I  wa'n't  thinking  of  them,"  remarked  Joel, 
truly.  "I  say,  now  that  dad's  your  guardian, 
that  makes  you  and  me  sort  of  brothers,  don't 
it?" 

"Well,  perhaps  so,"  answered  Harry,  smil- 
ing. 

"And  it  would  be  only  fair  for  you  to  give 
me  half  that  money?" 

Harry  eyed  Joel's  eager  face  curiously,  and 
noticed  the  cupidity  expressed  in  his  eyes.  It 
was  easy  to  see  that  Joel's  organ  of  acquisitive- 
ness was  well  developed. 

"Do  you  really  mean  that?'-  he  asked. 

"Of  course  I  do.  Brothers  ought  to  divide, 
hadn't  they?" 

"I  am  not  sure  about  that.  Have  you  got 
any  money?" 

"Yes.  I've  got  thirty-five  dollars  in  the  sav- 
ings bank.  It  took  me  an  awful  long  time  to 
save  it  up." 

"Then  if  you'll  give  me  ten  dollars  of  that, 
"we'll  each  have  twenty-five.  As  you  say, 
brothers  ought  to  divide." 

"Oh,  now,  you're  jokin'!"  exclaimed  Joel. 
"That  money  don't  count.  Come,  gimme  five 
dollars,  and  I'll  let  you  off  at  that." 

"I    would   rather    not,"    answered    Harry, 


Facing   the   World.  43 

quietly.  "However,  I've  got  a  dollar  of  my 
own  besides,  and  I'll  give  you  that." 

He  took  the  dollar  bill  from  his  pocketbook 
and  handed  it  to  Joel,  who  seized  it  with 
avidity,  and  speculated  as  to  whether  he  could 
not  get  more  out  of  his  father's  ward  after  a 
while. 

"This  is  rather  a  peculiar  family,"  thought 
Harry.  "It  is  well  I  didn't  bring  all  my  money 
home,  I  wonder  how  soon  Mr.  Fox  will  make 
another  attempt  to  secure  the  sum  I  have  with 
me." 

The  attempt  was  made  that  same  night. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

UP    IN     THE    ATTIC. 

Harry  was  afraid  he  would  be  expected  to 
occupy  the  same  room  with  Joel,  in  which  case 
he  could  hope  for  no  privacy,  and  would  be  un- 
able to  conceal  his  money,  which  he  had  little 
doubt  his  guardian  intended  to  secure,  either 
by  fair  means  or  foul.  It  chanced,  however, 
that  Joel  slept  in  a  small  bedroom  opening  out 
of  his  parents'  chamber.  So  Harry  was  as- 
signed an  attic  room,  in  the  end  of  the  house, 


44       .         Facing   the   World. 

the  sides  sloping  down  to  the  eaves.  It  was 
inferior  to  the  chambers  on  the  second  jfloor^ 
but  our  hero  was  not  disposed  to  complain. 
He  valued  solitude  more  than  superior  finish. 

Harry's  suspicion  was  roused  by  the  circum- 
stance that  his  guardian  did  not  again  refer  to 
his  money,  nor  did  he  manifest  any  disappoint- 
ment at  his  ward's  declining  to  intrust  him 
with  it. 

"He  is  foxy,"  thought  Harry,  smiling  at 
the  well-worn  joke. 

During  the  evening,  Joel  brought  out  a  back- 
gammon board,  nd  proposed  to  Harry  to 
play.  If  there  had  been  anything  to  read 
Harry  would  have  preferred  entertaining  him- 
self in  that  way,  but  Mr.  Fox  didn't  appear  to 
be  literary.  There  were  a  few  books  in  the 
house,  but  they  were  not  of  an  attractive  char- 
acter. 

"Have  you  any  stories  in  the  house,  Joel?'' 
asked  Harry,  after  looking  over  the  dreary  as- 
sortment of  volumes. 

"No,"  answered  Mrs.  Fox,  who  had  over- 
heard the  question.  "I  don't  think  much  of 
story  books.  They  only  waste  time.  I  never 
let  Joel  read  stories." 

"I  don't  want  to,  mam,"  said  Joel,  dutifully. 

Joel  spoke  the  truth,  for  he  had  no  liking 
for  books  of  any  kind. 


Facing   the   World.  4^ 

**Did  yoTir  pa  let  you  read  story  books?"  con* 
tinued  Mrs.  Fox. 

"Yes,"  answered  Harry,  briefly. 

"I  am  surprised  to  hear  it,"  continued  the 
lady. 

Harry  did  not  reply.  He  did  not  think  it 
"would  be  worth  while  to  get  into  an  argument 
with  Mrs.  Fox,  for  whose  judgment  he  had 
Tery  little  respect. 

"You  can  play  backgammon  with  Joel,"  said 
Mrs.  Fox,  "unless  you  want  to  read  'Baxter^s 
Saints'  Kest,'  or  Dr.  Richardson's  sermons." 

"I  think  I  will  play  backgammon,"  said 
Harry. 

Partly  in  backgammon,  partly  in  conversa- 
tion with  the  son  and  heir  of  the  Foxes,  the 
time  passed  till  half-past  eight  o'clock. 

"Joel,  you  can  go  to  bed,"  said  his  mother.: 
**It  is  half-past  eight." 

Joel  yawned,  and  interposed  no  objection. 

"You  may  as  well  go,  too,  Henry,"  said  Mrs. 
Fox. 

"My  name  is  Harry,  madam.'^ 
i     "I  shall  call  you  Henry.    I  consider  Harry  a 
foolish  nickname,"  said  the  lady,  severely. 

Harry  smiled.  It  really  mattered  little  to 
him  what  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Fox  called  him. 

"Mrs.  Fox  is  right,"  said  his  guardian.  "It'a 
good  for  a  boy  to  go  to  bed  early ;  ma  and  I  go 


^6  Facing   the   World. 

to  bed  at  nine.  It  gives  us  a  good  night's  rest. 
LBesides,  it  saves  candles." 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  Fox  mansion 
iWas  illuminated  by  tallow  candles,  probably 
on  the  score  of  economy,  though  at  present 
kerosene  would  probably  be  cheaper  as  well  a» 
more  satisfactory.  Every  few  minutes  it  was 
found  necessary  to  use  a  clumsy  pair  of  snuff- 
ers, such  as  some  of  my  readers  are  probably 
familiar  with.  The  room  was  so  poorly  lighted 
that,  except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
candle,  it  would  have  been  found  difficult 
either  to  read  or  sew. 

"I  am  ready  to  go  to  bed,  sir,"  said  Harry. 

In  fact,  he  felt  rather  sleepy,  and  anticipated 
little  pleasure  in  sitting  up  in  the  far  from  ex- 
citing company  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fox. 

"Joel,"  said  his  mother,  "take  this  candle 
and  show  Henry  upstairs  in  the  attic  cham- 
ber." 

"Yes,  mam." 

So,  preceded  by  Joel,  Harry  went  up  two 
flights  of  stairs  to  the  attic  room  reserved  for 
him.  It  was  the  only  room  that  had  been  fin- 
ished off,  and  the  garret  outside  looked  dark: 
and  forbidding. 

"I  would  be  scared  to  sleep  up  here,"  said 
his  companion.  "If  you're  afraid,  I'll  ask  mam. 
Ito  let  you  sleep  with  me." 


Facing   the   World.  47 

"I  shall  not  be  at  all  frightened,  Joel,"  said 
Harry,  hastily.  "Besides,  I  like  to  sleep 
alone." 

"I  thought  you  might  be  scared,"  said  Joel. 

"What  should  scare  me?" 

"I  don't  know,  but  it  seems  lonely  and 
dark." 

"There  is  no  danger.  If  burglars  break  into 
the  house,  they  will  visit  the  second  floor  first." 

"I  guess  they  won't  come  up  here.  Dad 
keeps  all  his  money  in  the  bank." 

"You've  got  a  dollar,  you  know,  Joel." 

"Don't  you  tell  dad !  He'd  take  it  away  from 
me,  and  I  want  to  keep  it.  I  might  want  to 
spend  it,  you  know." 

"I  won't  mention  it  if  you  don't  want  me 
to." 

"Good-night,  then.  Just  hold  the  candle 
while  I  go  downstairs." 

When  he  was  fairly  all  alone,  Harry  began 
to  look  about  him,  to  ascertain  in  .what  kind 
of  quarters  he  was  to  pass  the  night.  To  begin 
with,  he  examined  the  door,  to  find  out  whether 
there  was  any  way  of  locking  or  securing  it. 
He  ascertained  that  it  was  a  common  latch 
door,  and  there  was  no  lock.  There  was  noth- 
ing to  prevent  anyone  entering  the  room  dur- 
ing the  night.  There  was  a  small  cot  bed  in 
one  corner,  a  chair  and  old  wooden  chest, 


48  Facing   the   World. 

which  probably  contained  articles  belonging 
1  to  Mrs.  Fox,  perhaps  blankets  or  bed  linen. 
1  There  was  no  bureau  nor  washstand.  The  ab- 
sence of  the  latter  annoyed  Harry.  He  had 
always  been  in  the  habit  of  washing  himself 
as  soon  as  he  got  out  of  bed. 

"Washing  doesn't  seem  to  be  provided  for 
in  this  house,"  thought  Harry. 

He  learned  afterward  that  he  was  expected 
to  go  downstairs  and  wash  in  a  large  tin  basin 
in  the  kitchen  sink — wiping  his  face  on  a 
brown,  roller  towel  which  was  used  by  the  en- 
tire family.  This  was  quite  unsatisfactory  to 
Harry,  who  was  scrupulously  neat  in  his 
tastes.  His  parents  had  always  encouraged 
this  trait  in  him,  but  it  was  very  evident  that 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fox  differed  in  many  respects 
from  the  father  and  mother  he  had  been  so  un- 
fortunate in  losing  so  early. 

"This  isn't  a  palace  exactly,"  Harry  said  to 
himself,  as  he  surveyed  his  scantily  furnished 
chamber.  "Luckily  the  bed" — feeling  it — 
"seems  tolerably  comfortable.  If  I  can  get  a 
good  night's  rest,  I  won't  mind  the  rest." 

Then  came  the  thought,  "What  was  he  to  do 
"with  his  money?"  Perhaps  he  was  unduly  sus- 
picious, but  he  could  not  help  thinking  that 
after  he  was  asleep  Mr.  Fox  might  pay  him  a 
Tisit,  and  try  to  secure  by  stealth  what  he  had 


Facing   the   World.  49 

refused  to  give  up.  Now  Harry  was  deter- 
mined to  keep  his  money.  He  felt  that  he  had 
the  best  right  to  it,  and  that  Mr.  Fox,  though 
his  guardian,  had  no  claim  to  it.  Yet  how 
could  he  secure  it?  Should  he  put  it  in  his 
pocket,  he  was  convinced  that  this  would  be 
the  very  first  place  in  which  Mr.  Fox  would 
look.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  were  not  found 
in  his  pocket,  his  guardian  would  search  in 
every  other  place  that  he  could  think  of,  and 
probably  would  eventually  find  it. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  Harry  was  the  pos- 
sessor of  two  pocketbooks — one,  shabby  and 
well  worn,  which  he  had  failed  to  throw  away 
on  buying  another  just  before  he  left  home. 
In  connection  with  this,  a  scheme  for  outwit- 
ting Mr.  Fox  came  into  his  mind.  He  folded 
up  a  fragment  of  newspaper,  and  put  it  into 
the  old  pocketbook,  bulging  it  out  till  it  looked 
well-filled,  and  this  he  left  in  the  pocket  of  his 
pantaloons. 

"Now  to  hide  the  other,"  said  he  to  him- 
self. 

He  looked  about  the  room,  seeking  for  some 
place  of  concealment.  Finally  he  noticed  in 
one  portion  of  the  floor  a  square  board,  which 
looked  as  if  it  might  be  lifted.  He  stooped 
over,  and  succeeded  in  raising  it.  The  space 
beneath  was  about  a  foot  in  depth — the  lowei* 


50  Facing   the   World. 

level  being  the  lathing  and  plastering  of  the 
room  below. 

"That  will  do,"  said  Harry,  in  a  tone  of  sat- 
isfaction. "I  don't  think  Mr.  Fox  will  find  my 
money  here,"  and  dropping  the  pocketbook 
into  the  cavity  he  replaced  the  square  board* 
Then  he  went  to  bed  and  awaited  results. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MR.    FOX    IS   DISAPPOINTED. 

When  Harry  had  gone  up  to  his  bed,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fox  naturally  began  to  compare 
notes  respecting  him. 

"That  new  boy  rides  a  high  horse,"  said  Mrs, 
Fox,  grimly. 

"So  he  does,"  assented  her  husband., 

"Are  you  going  to  allow  it?" 

"Certainly  not." 

"He  has  had  his  own  way  pretty  much,  so 
far,  it  strikes  me." 

"He  hasn't  found  out  what  kind  of  a  man 
John  Fox  is,"  remarked  her  husband,  with' 
an  air  of  determination. 

"I'm  afraid  he'll  have  a  bad  influence  on 
Joel." 


Facing   the   World.  51 

"No,  he  won't,  Mrs.  Fox;  I  mean  to  sub- 
due him.  I  mean  to  let  him  know  who  is 
master  here.    No  boy  shall  defy  John  Pox." 

"He  wouldn't  give  up  his  money  to  you, 
though  you  are  his  guardeen." 

"Very  true,  but  I  mean  to  have  it  all  the 
same.  There's  two  ways  of  doing  things,  Mrs. 
Fox.  Of  course,  I  might  have  taken  the 
money  from  him  by  violence,  but  I'd  rather 
get  it  by  strategy." 

"How  are  you  going  to  do  it?"  inquired  his 
wife,  with  some  interest. 

"I  shall  go  up  to  his  bedroom  after  he  is 
asleep,  and  then  it  will  be  the  easiest  thing 
in  the  world  to  take  the  pocketbook  without 
his  knowin'  it." 

"He'll  know  it  in  the  mornin'." 

"Let  him!  Possession  is  nine  p'ints  of  the 
law,  Mrs.  Fox." 

"He  might  say  you  stole  it." 

"He  can't  do  that,  for  I'm  his  guardeen, 
don't  you  see?  Oh,  I've  thought  it  all  over, 
Mrs.  Fox." 

"He'll  be  apt  to  make  a  fuss,"  said  the  lady, 
thoughtfully. 

"What'll  it  amount  to?  Makin'  a  fuss  won't 
bring  back  the  money.  What  do  you  think  of 
my  plan?" 

"It  isn't  a  bad  one;  but  if  I  was  in  your 


52  Facing    the   World. 

place  I'd  take  it  from  him  by  main  force.  I 
would  have  no  shilly-shally  business  about 
it." 

John  Fox  looked  with  some  admiration  at 
his  wife, 

"You'd  ought  to  be  a  man,  Maria,"  he  said. 
^'You're  bold  and  resolute,  and  ain't  afeard  of 
anything." 

"Not  even  of  my  husband,"  added  Mrs.  Fox, 
with  elephantine  humor,  smiling  grimly. 

"Well,  no,  there  ain't  no  call  for  you  to  be 
afeared  of  the  partner  of  your  life.  But,  Mrs. 
F.,  there's  a  time  to  be  bold  and  a  time  to  be 
Foxy,"  and  Mr.  Fox  smiled  in  appreciation  of 
the  well-worn  joke. 

"Well,  well,  I  shan't  interfere.  I  s'pose  you 
know  your  business  best.  All  I've  got  to  say 
is,  I  wouldn't  let  no  boy  boss  me." 

"No  boy  shall  boss  me,  Mrs.  F.,"  responded 
John  Fox,  loftily.  "My  ward  will  find  that 
he  must  obey  his  guardeen." 

"And  his  guardeen's  wife,"  added  Mrs.  Fox. 

"Of  course,  I  shall  insist  upon  his  treating 
you  with  proper  respect,  Mrs.  Fox.  Still,  as 
he  is  a  boy,  he  more  properly  comes  under  my 
control.  If  we  should  ever  take  a  girl  into  the 
family,  it  would  be  for  you  to  regulate  her,  and 
I  should  stand  aside  and  not  interfere." 

Mrs.  Fox  was  not  altogether  satisfied. 


Facing    the   World.  53 

"That  sounds  very  well,"  she  said,  "but  I 
want  it  understood  that  this  boy  hez  got  to 
observe  the  rules  and  regulations  of  this  house^ 
and  I'm  the  one  that  makes  'em." 

"'Oh,  there  won't  be  any  trouble  about  that, 
mam,"  said  John  Fox,  half  impatiently,  for  he 
was  quite  aware  that  his  wife  had  a  will  of  her 
own,  and,  though  he  called  himself  the  master 
of  the  house,  he  was  far  from  controlling  its 
mistress. 

A  little  after  ten  Mr.  Fox,  considering  that 
Harry  must  be  sound  asleep,  decided  to  make 
him  a  visit.  He  removed  his  shoes,  and  in  his 
stocking  feet,  candle  in  hand,  began  to  ascend 
the  narrow  and  steep  staircase  which  led  to 
the  attic. 

"Shall  I  go  with  you,  John?"  queried  his 
helpmeet. 

"No,  I  guess  I  can  manage  to  carry  the 
boy's  pocketbook,"  responded  Mr.  Fox,  sar- 
castically. 

"I  didn't  know  but  he  might  resist  you," 
explained  Mrs.  Fox. 

"Even  if  he  does,  I  guess  I  am  a  match  for 
a  boy  of  his  size." 

"Well,  have  your  own  way,  then." 

"My  own  way  is  best,  Mrs.  F." 

"That's  what  you  always  say.  If  you  fail 
it  won't  be  my  fault." 


54  Facing   the   World. 

Mr.  Fox  certainly  did  seem  to  be  in  the 
right,  but  his  wife  wanted  to  share  in  the  ex- 
citement of  the  night  visit.  There  was  some- 
thing alluring  in  the  thought  of  creeping  up- 
stairs, and  removing,  by  stealth,  the  pocket- 
book  of  the  new  inmate  of  their  home. 

Left  to  himself,  Mr.  Pox  pursued  his  way  up 
the  attic  stairs.  They  creaked  a  little  under 
his  weight,  and,  much  to  his  annoyance,  when 
he  reached  the  landing  at  the  top  he  coughed. 

"I  hope  the  boy  won't  hear  me,"  he  said  to 
himself. 

He  paused  an  instant,  then  softly  opened  the 
door  of  Harry's  chamber. 

All  seemed  satisfactory.  Our  hero  was  ly- 
ing quietly  in  bed,  apparently  in  a  peaceful 
sleep.  Ordinarily  he  vould  have  been  fast 
asleep  by  this  time,  but  the  expectation  of  a 
visit  from  his  guardian  had  kept  him  awake 
beyond  his  usual  time.  He  had  heard  Mr.  Fox 
cough,  and  so,  even  before  the  door  opened,  he 
had  warning  of  the  visit. 

Harry  was  not  a  nervous  boy^  and  had  such 
command  of  himself,  that,  even  when  Mr.  Fox 
bent  over,  and,  by  the  light  of  the  candle,  ex- 
amined his  face,  he  never  stirred  nor  winked, 
though  he  very  much  wanted  to  laugh. 

"All  is  safe!  The  boy  is  sound  asleep,'* 
whispered  Mr.  Fox  to  himself. 


Facing   the   World.  5^ 

He  set  the  candle  on  the  floor,  and  then 
taking  up  Harry's  pantaloons  thrust  his  hand 
into  the  pockets. 

The  very  first  pocket  contained  the  pocket- 
book  which  our  hero  had  put  there.  Mr.  Fox 
would  have  opened  and  examined  its  contents 
on  the  spot,  but  he  heard  a  cough  from  the  bed, 
and,  apprehending  that  his  ward  might  wake 
up,  quickly  put  the  pocketbook  into  his  own 
pocket,  and,  taking  up  the  candle,  noiselessly; 
withdrew  from  the  chamber. 

After  he  was  fairly  gone,  Harry  had  a  quiet 
laugh  to  himself. 

"What  will  the  old  fellow  say  when  he  finds 
out  he  has  been  humbugged?"  said  he  to  him- 
self.   "I  only  wish  I  could  be  present." 

Mr.  Fox  returned  in  triumph  to  his  own 
chamber,  where  his  wife  was  anxiously  waiting 
for  him. 

"Have  you  got  it,  Mr.  F.?"  she  asked,  ea- 
gerly. 

"Got  it?  Why  shouldn't  I  get  it?"  demanded 
her  husband.  "What  I  undertake,  Mrs.  F.,  I 
generally  carry  through." 

"Oh,  yes;  you're  terrible  smart,  we  all 
know.  Well,  open  it,  and  let  us  see  what  it 
contains." 

"Don't  be  impatient,  Mrs.  F.,"  said  her  hus- 
band, tantalizingiy.    "There's  plenty  of  time,'^ 


[56  Facing   the   World. 

and  he  slowly  drew  out  the  pocketbook,  and 
held  it  in  his  hand. 

"You  ought  to  let  me  have  half  the  money,'' 
said  Mrs.  Fox. 

"Why  should  I?  You  seem  to  forget,  Mrs. 
F.,  that  the  money  isn't  mine.  It  belongs  to 
my  ward,  and  it  is  my  duty  to  take  charge  of 
it." 

"I  can  take  charge  of  it  as  well  as  you,  I 
reckon,  Mr.  Fox." 

"Perhaps  you  can,  and  then  again  perhaps 
you  can't.    However,  I  will  open  the  wallet." 

This  Mr.  Fox  proceeded  to  do.  But  no 
sooner  did  his  glance  rest  on  the  contents  than 
his  lower  jaw  fell,  and  his  eyes  opened  wide  in 
perplexity, 

"Well,  what  are  you  staring  at  like  a  fool?'' 
demanded  his  wife,  who  was  not  so  situated 
that  she  could  see  the  contents  of  the  pocket- 
book. 

"Look  at  this,  Mrs.  F.,"  said  her  husband, 
in  a  hollow  voice.  "There's  no  money  here — 
only  this  piece  of  newspaper." 

"Well,  well,  of  all  the  fools  I  ever  saw  yor 
are  about  the  most  stupid!"  ejaculated  Mrs. 
Fox.  "What  you  undertake  you  generally 
carry  through,  do  you?  After  all  the  fuss 
you've  brought  down  a  pocketbook  stuffed  with 
.waste  paper." 


Facing   the   World.  57 

"I  don't  understand  it,"  said  Mr.  Fox,  his 
face  assuming  a  look  of  perplexity.  "Surely 
the  boy  told  the  truth  when  he  said  he  had 
fifteen  dollars." 

"Of  course !  Joel  saw  the  money — a  roll  of 
bills,  and  saw  him  take  them  out  of  his  pocket- 
book.  He  must  have  taken  them  out.  Did 
you  search  all  his  pockets?" 

"No ;  when  I  found  the  pocketbook  I  thought 
I  was  all  right." 

"Just  like  a  man !"  retorted  Mrs.  Fox.  "I'll 
go  up  myself,  and  see  if  I  can't  manage  better 
than  you." 

"Then  you'd  better  take  this  wallet,  and  put 
it  back  in  his  pocket." 

"Give  it  to  me,  then." 

With  a  firm  step  Mrs.  Fox  took  the  candle 
and  took  her  turn  in  going  up  the  attic  stairs. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

MRS.  FOX  COMES  TO  GEIEF. 

Harry  confidently  anticipated  a  second  visit 
to  his  chamber.  He  concluded  that  when  Mr. 
Fox  examined  the  purloined  pocketbook,  and 


58  Facing    the    World. 

ascertained  the  worthlessness  of  its  contents, 
he  would  try  his  luck  a  second  time.  He 
therefore  lay  awake  and  watchful. 

He  was  rather  surprised  when  the  door  was 
again  opened,  and  Mrs.  Fox  entered.  Opening 
his  eyes  a  little  way,  he  saw  her,  after  a  brief 
glance  at  the  bed,  go  to  the  chair  containing 
his  pantaloons,  and  put  back  the  deceptive 
wallet.  She  was  about  to  prosecute  a  fur- 
ther search,  when  Harry  decided  that  matters 
had  gone  far  enough.  He  did  not  fancy  their 
night  visits,  and  meant  to  stop  them  if  he 
could. 

Chance  favored  his  design.  A  puff  of  air 
from  the  door,  which  Mrs.  Fox  had  left  wide 
open,  extinguished  the  candle,  and  left  the 
room,  as  there  was  no  moon,  in  profound  dark- 
ness. 

"Drat  the  candle !"  he  heard  Mrs.  Fox  say. 

Then  a  mischievous  idea  came  to  Harry. 
In  his  native  village  lived  a  man  who  had 
passed  a  considerable  time  in  the  wild  re- 
gions beyond  the  Missouri  River,  and  had 
mingled  familiarly  with  the  Indians.  From 
him  Harry  had  learned  how  to  imitate  the  In- 
dian war  whoop.  Some  of  my  readers  may 
have  heard  such  an  imitation,  and  they  will 
understand  that  it  is  rather  a  startling  sound, 
especially  when  unexpected. 


Facing   the   World.  59 

"I'll  scare  the  old  lady,"  thought  Harry, 
smiling  to  himself. 

Immediately  there  rang  out  from  the  bed, 
in  the  darkness  and  silence,  a  terrific  war 
whoop,  given  in  Harry's  most  effective  style. 

Mrs.  Fox  was  not  a  nervous  woman  ordi- 
narily, but  she  was  undeniably  frightened  at 
the  unexpected  sound. 

"Heavens  and  earth,  what's  that?"  she  ejac- 
ulated, and  dropping  our  hero's  clothes,  re- 
treated in  disorder,  almost  stumbling  down- 
stairs in  her  precipitate  flight.  Dashing  into 
the  chamber  where  Mr.  Fox  was  waiting  for 
her,  she  sank  into  a  chair  gasping  for  breath. 

"Good  gracious,  Maria,  what's  the  matter?" 
exclaimed  her  husband,  gazing  at  her  in  won- 
der. 

"I — don't — know,"  she  gasped. 

"You  look  as  if  you  had  seen  a  ghost." 

"I  haven't  seen  anything,"  said  his  wife,  re- 
covering her  breath,  "but  I've  heard  something 
terrible.    Didn't  you  hear  anything,  Mr.  Fox?'^ 

"No;  the  door  was  shut." 

"It's  my  belief  the  attic  is  haunted,"  said 
Mrs.  Fox,  impressively. 

"Pooh,  nonsense!  you  must  be  crazy." 

"It's  easy  enough  to  say  pooh !  but  if  you 
had  been  in  the  room  you  wouldn't  feel  like 
saying  it." 


6o  Facing   the   World. 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,"  said  her  husband,  his 
curiosity  aroused.  j 

"I  went  upstairs  and  put  back  the  wallet," ' 
said  his  wife,  "and  was  looking  to  see  if  I 
could  find  another,  when  all  at  once  the  candle 
went  out,  and  a  terrible  noise  shook  the  cham- 
ber." 

"What  was  it  like,  Mrs.  F.?" 

"I  can't  tell  you.  I  never  heard  anything 
like  it  before.  All  I  know  is,  I  wouldn't  go  up 
there  again  to-night  for  anything," 

"It's  very  strange — I  can't  make  it  out.  Did 
the  boy  sleep  through  it  all?" 

"How  can  I  tell?  The  candle  was  out,  I 
tell  you." 

"Perhaps  he  blew  it  out." 

"Perhaps  you're  a  fool,  Mr.  Fox.  It  wasn't 
near  the  bed,  and  he  was  fast  asleep,  for  I 
looked  at  him.  It  made  me  think  of — of 
Peter,"  and  Mrs.  Fox  shuddered. 

Peter  had  been  taken  from  the  poorhouse 
three  years  ago  by  Mr.  Fox,  and  apprenticed 
to  him  by  the  town  authorities.  According  to  | 
popular  report  he  had  been  cruelly  treated  and  i 
iBSufl&ciently  fed,  until  he  was  taken  sick,  and. 
had  died  in  the  very  bedroom  where  Mrs.  Fox 
had  been  so  frightened.  This  may  explain  how 
it  was  that  a  woman  so  strong-minded  had  had 
her  nerves  so  easily  upset.    Though  her  con- 


Facing   the   World.  6il 

science  was  not  especially  sensitive,  occasion- 
ally there  passed  through  her  mind  unpleasant 
thoughts  of  the  poor  drudge  whose  life  she 
and  her  husband  had  contributed  to  make  mis- 
erable. 

"We  won't  talk  of  Peter,"  said  Mr.  Fox, 
shortly,  for  to  him,  also,  the  subject  was  an 
unpleasant  one.  "I  suppose  you  didn't  find 
another  wallet?'* 

"No,  I  didn't.  You  can  order  the  boy  to 
give  it  up  to-morrow.  The  best  thing  to  do 
now,  is  to  go  to  bed  and  rest." 

The  breakfast  hour  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Fox 
was  half-past  six.  Harry  was  called  at  six, 
and  was  punctual  at  the  table.  Mr.  Fox  cast 
a  suspicious  glance  at  his  ward,  but  the  boy 
looked  so  perfectly  unconcerned  that  he  ac- 
quitted him  of  any  knowledge  of  the  night 
visit. 

"How  did  you  sleep,  Henry?"  asked  Mrs. 
Fox. 

"Soundly,  thank  you,"  answered  Harry,  po- 
litely. 

"You  didn't  hear  any  strange  noises,  then?" 

"No;  did  you?" 

"Ahem!  yes,  I  heard  a  peculiar  noise  not 
long  after  you  went  to  bed." 

"It  didn't  wake  me  up,"  said  Harry,  witK 
truth. 


hz  Facing    the   World. 

"The  boy  must  sleep  sound,"  thought  Mrs. 
Fox,  "for  of  all  the  unearthly  screeching  I  ever 
heard,  that  was  the  worst." 

"Now,  Henry,"  said  Mr.  Fox,  after  break- 
fast, "we  may  as  well  speak  of  our  future  ar- 
rangements." 

"Very  well,  sir." 

"I  take  it  that  with  your  small  inheritance 
you  will  prefer  to  earn  a  part  of  your  living 
by  labor?" 

"You  are  right  there,  sir." 

"I  have  considerable  to  do  on  my  twenty 
acres  of  land,  and  I  can  give  you  work  here." 

"What  compensation  do  you  offer,  sir?" 

"Why,  you  see  you  are  a  boy,  and,  of  course, 
a  boy  cannot  do  as  much  as  a  man." 

"I  think  I  can  do  as  much  as  some  men,  Mr. 
Fox." 

"Well,  if  you  could,  you  couldn't  get  the 
same  wages.  If  you  work  around  according 
to  my  directions  during  the  day,  you  can  have 
your  evenings  to  yourself,  and  I  will  consider 
it  your  board." 

"I  should  like  to  have  you  tell  me  precisely 
what  you  will  allow  me,"  said  Harry,  whom 
this  speech  did  not  impress  with  a  very  high 
idea  of  Mr.  Fox's  liberality. 

"As  a  boarder  I  should  have  to  charge  you 
five  dollars  a  week  for  your  board,  and  fifty 


Facing   the   World.  63 

cents  extra  for  your  washing — that  would  go 
to  Mrs.  Fox;  as  well  as,  say  twenty-five  cents 
a  week  for  your  mending.  That  also  would  go 
to  my  wife.  Now,  if  you  work  for  me,  I  will 
take  off  three  dollars,  making  the  charge  to 
you  only  two  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents 
per  week." 

"Don't  you  think,  Mr.  Fox,  that  is  rather 
low  pay  for  my  services?  I  can't  afford  to  pay 
it.  It  would  use  up  my  small  inheritance  in 
about  two  years,  not  to  s;^ak  of  my  outlay 
for  clothes." 

"I  might  say  two  dollars  and  a  quarter,'* 
said  Mr.  Fox,  deliberating. 

Harry  smiled  to  himself.  He  had  not  the 
slightest  idea  of  working  for  any  such  trifle, 
but  he  did  not  care  to  announce  his  determina* 
tion  yet.- 

"I  will  pay  full  price  for  a  week,  Mr.  Fox,'* 
he  said,  "and  during  that  time  I  will  consider 
your  offer." 

"I  may  not  offer  you  as  favorable  terms  a 
"week  from  now,"  said  Fox,  who  wanted  to  get 
his  ward  to  work  at  once. 

"I  will  take  my  chance  of  it,  sir.  I  prefer 
to  have  a  few  days  of  freedom." 

"By  the  way,  Harry,  don't  you  think  you 
had  better  give  me  your  money  to  keep?  You 
might  lose  it." 


64  Facing   the   World. 

"You  are  very  kind,  Mr.  Fox;  but  I  am  not 
afraid  of  losing  it." 

After  breakfast  Harry  went  to  walk.  His 
steps  naturally  tended  to  the  place  where  he 
had  left  the  greater  part  of  his  treasure.  It 
was  possible  that  he  had  been  seen  hiding  it, 
and  he  thought  on  the  whole  it  would  be  better 
to  find  another  place  of  concealment. 

"Joel,"  said  his  mother,  "follow  Henry,  and 
see  where  he' goes.  He  may  be  goin'  to  hide  his 
money.    But  don't  let  him  see  you." 

"All  right,  mam;  I'll  do  it.  I  wish.  I  had 
followed  him  yesterday." 


CHAPTER   X. 

JOEL   AS   A   DETECTIVE. 

A  POSITION  as  detective  would  have  suited 
Joel.  Whatever  was  secret  or  stealthy  had  a 
charm  for  him.  He  liked  to  pry  into  the  se^ 
crets  of  other  people,  and  had  more  than  once 
managed  to  overhear  conversations  between  his 
father  and  mother  which  they  had  intended 
to  keep  from  him. 

In  the  present  instance  he  managed  to 
shadow  Harry  very  successfully.  The  task  was 


Facing    the    World.  65 

made  easier,  because  our  hero  had  no  idea  that 
anyone  was  following  him.  If  he  had  turned 
round  he  might  have  caught  sight  of  Joel 
wriggling  along  in  such  a  way  as  to  escape 
notice. 

"So  he's  going  to  the  railroad,"  said  Joel  to 
himself,  when  Harry's  direction  became  evi- 
dent. "Wonder  if  he  expects  to  stoj)  another 
train.  If  he  does  he'll  have  to  divide  with 
me." 

Arrived  at  the  railroad  track,  Harry's  course 
diverged  to  the  hillock,  at  the  top  of  which 
he  had  concealed  his  treasure. 

"What  in  the  world's  he  going  up  there 
for?"  thought  Joel,  puzzled.  "It  won't  do  for 
me  to  foller  him,  or  he'll  see  me  and  smell 
a  rat." 

Joel  posted  himself  at  a  point  where  he  had 
a  good  view  of  the  elevation,  and  could  see 
"what  Harry  was  doing.  He  spied  on  general 
principles,  not  expecting  to  make  any  notable 
discovery.  When,  therefore,  he  saw  our  hero 
digging  at  a  particular  spot,  he  concluded  that 
he  was  going  to  hide  the  fifteen  dollars  there. 
What  was  his  surprise  and  delight  when  he 
saw  him  dig  up  and  expose  to  view  a  large  roll 
of  bills,  evidently  far  exceeding  in  value  the 
small  sum  which  had  excited  his  cupidity. 

"Oh,  cracky!"  ejaculated  Joel,  "there  must 


66  Facing    the   World. 

be  a  hundred  dollars  in  that  roll  of  bills. 
Wouldn't  dad  open  his  eyes  if  he  saw  it? 
Harry's  a  sly  one  to  make  us  think  he  had  only 
fifteen  dollars.  If  I  don't  get  some  of  it,  my 
name  isn't  Joel  Pox." 

Unconscious  of  observation,  Harry  held  the 
money  in  his  hand  and  deliberated.  Should  he 
replace  it  in  the  hole  or  find  another  place  of 
concealment?  On  the  whole,  he  decided  upon 
the  latter.  He  reflected  that  some  one  might 
find  it,  and,  if  so,  there  would  be  small  chance 
of  his  recovering  it.  He  put  it  in  his  pocket, 
resolved  to  think  over  at  leisure  its  ultimate 
place  of  deposit. 

Now,  unfortunately  for  Joel,  just  at  this 
moment  he  slipped  from  his  perch  on  the 
branch  of  a  small  tree,  and  for  about  half  a 
minute  what  Harry  did  was  concealed  from 
him.  He  clambered  into  the  tree  again,  but 
only  to  see  Harry  filling  up  the  hole  again. 
This  was  done  so  as  to  avoid  exciting  the  curi- 
osity of  anyone  who  might  notice  that  the  earth 
had  been  disturbed. 

"He's  put  it  back,"  thought  Joel.  "Ho,  ho ! 
maybe  he'll  find  it  there  when  he  comes  to 
look  for  it  next  time." 

He  didn't  want  Harry  to  catch  sight  of  him 
when  he  descended  the  hill,  and  accordingly 
scuttled  away  sufficiently  far  to  escape  sus- 


Facing    the   World.  67, 

picioiij  yet  not  too  far  to  lose  sight  of  Harry's 
movements. 

Five  minutes  later  Harry  descended  from 
the  hill,  and  bent  his  steps  toAvard  that  part  of 
the  railway  Where  the  accident  had  occurred. 
Joel,  who  had  hastened  away  in  a  different  di- 
rection, went  back  to  the  hill  as  soon  as  he 
thought  it  would  be  safe,  and  eagerly  ascended 
it.  He  found  without  difficulty  the  spot  where 
Harry  had  been  digging.  With  the  help  of  a 
fragment  of  wood  which  he  had  picked  up  be* 
low,  he  in  turn  began  to  dig — his  eyes  glisten- 
ing with  expectation  and  cupidity, 

"If  I  find  the  money,"  he  said  to  himself,  "I 
won't  tell  dad.  If  I  did,  he  would  take  it  all, 
and  I  wouldn't  get  a  cent  of  it.  I  know  a 
better  way  than  that.  I'll  keep  it  all  myself, 
and  nobody  will  be  the  wiser.  Harry  won't 
know  who's  got  it,  and  he  won't  dare  to  make 
any  fuss.  Won't  I  feel  rich  with  a  hundred 
dollars!  I'll  save  it  all  up,  and  keep  it  till 
I'm  a  man." 

It  was  a  very  pretty  air  castle  that  Joel 
was  building,  and  the  thought  that  he  would 
be  virtually  stealing  money  belonging  to  an- 
other did  not  trouble  him  in  the  least.  His 
conscience  was  not  remarkably  sensitive,  and 
it  only  struck  him  as  a  very  creditable  piece 
of  strategy. 


68  Facing    the    World. 

He  kept  digging,  but  gradually  became  anx- 
ious, as  the  expected  treasure  did  not  show 
itself. 

"I'm  sure  I  have  dug  deep  enough,"  he  said 
to  himself.    "Can  I  have  got  the  wrong  place?" 

But  no !  there  was  little  doubt  of  that.  He 
had  watched  carefully  the  spot  when  Harry 
had  been  at  work.  Moreover,  the  ground  had 
not  been  disturbed  in  any  other  place  near 
at  hand. 

"He  Must  have  took  the  money  when  I  fell 
from  the  tree,"  thought  Joel,  crestfallen. 
"He's  served  me  a  mean  trick.  Won't  I  tell 
dad,  though,  and  get  him  into  trouble?  Oh, 
no!" 

Meanwhile,  Harry,  not  knowing  how  nar- 
rowly he  had  escaped  being  robbed,  pursued 
his  way  to  the  railway.  He  had  his  money  in 
his  pocket,  but  he  began  to  feel  the  embarrass- 
ment of  riches.  He  was  quite  at  a  loss  to 
know  what  to  do  with  it.  To  keep  it  by  him  in 
the  house  of  his  guardian  after  the  experiences 
of  the  previous  night  would  be  hazardous. 
Though  he  was  fully  resolved  to  defend  his 
property,  he  was  quite  aware  that  his  guardian 
was  stronger  than  himself,  and  could  take  it 
by  force  if  he  undertook  to  do  so, 

"If  I  were  only  in  my  old  home,"  he  thought, 
^'I  would  ask  Mr.  Howard  to  take  care  of  it 


Facing   the   World.  69 

for   me.      Then    I    should   know    it   was   all 
right." 

But  Mr.  Howard  was  a  hundred  miles  away, 
and  that  arrangement  was  hardly  practicable. 

Then  he  thought  of  the  president  of  the 
railroad,  to  whom  he  was  principally  indebted 
for  the  money. 

"If  I  could  only  see  him/'  he  thought,  "I 
would  ask  him  to  take  care  of  it  for  me." 

What  was  his  surprise,  when  on  reaching 
the  depot  the  first  person  on  whom  his  eyes 
fell  was  the  very  gentleman  of  whom  he  was 
thinking. 

"How  do  you  do,  sir?"  said  Harry,  politely. 

"Ah,  my  young  friend  that  saved  the  train !" 
said  the  president,  cordially.  "I  hope  you 
haven't  spent  the  money  you  received  on  riot- 
ous living?" 

"My  living  has  been  far  from  riotous,"  an- 
swered Harry,  smiling.  "At  my  boarding  place 
there  is  very  little  chance  of  my  falling  a 
victim  to  the  gout.  But,  sir,  I  have  a  fav»r  to 
ask  of  you." 

"Very  well,  my  lad;  what  is  it?" 

"Will  you  take  care  of  my  money  for  me? 
I  don't  want  to  spend  it,  and  I'm  afraid  of 
losing  it." 

"How  much  have  you?" 

"I   had   nearly  three   hundred   dollars.     I 


70  Facing    the   World. 

should  like  to  put  two  hundred  and  fifty  into 
your  hands." 

"Suppose  I  should  take  a  sudden  flight  to 
Canada?"  said  the  president,  jocosely. 

"I  will  take  the  risk  of  that,  sir." 

"Well,  my  boy,  if  you  really  desire  it,  I 
will  take  the  money." 

"I  shall  regard  it  a  very  great  favor." 

No  sooner  said  than  done.  They  went  into 
the  depot,  and  Harry,  counting  out  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  passed  it  over  to  the 
president. 

"I  will  give  you  a  receipt  for  it,"  said  the 
railroad  official. 

"It  isn't  necessary,  sir." 

"It  is  business,  my  boy,"  was  the  brief 
reply. 

He  made  out  a  brief  receipt,  signing  it 
"Thomas  Conway,  President  of  the  Craven 
County  Railroad,"  and  Harry  pocketed  it  with 
a  feeling  of  relief. 

"I  will  send  it  to  Mr.  Howard,  and  get.  him 
to  keep  it  for  me,"  Harry  decided.  "Then  my 
guardian  can't  get  on  the  track  of  it." 

While  he  was  standing  in  front  of  the  depot 
waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  eight-thirty 
train,  Joel  came  up. 

"Coin'  a-travelin' ?"  asked  Joel,  with  a  grin. 

"Not  this  morning." 


Facing   the   World.  71I 

"I  wish  I  had  a  hundred  dollars !"  continued 
Joel,  surveying  Harry  sharply. 

"Suppose  you  had,  what  then?" 

"I'd  make  a  journey  out  West.  Say,  Harry, 
did  you  ever  have  a  hundred  dollars  in  your 
pocket?" 

"Yes." 

"Maybe  you've  got  it  now?" 

"Where  should  I  get  it?"  demanded  Harry, 
eying  Joel  sharply  in  his  turn. 

"I  do'no.  Jest  empty  your  pockets,  and  le* 
me  see  how  much  you've  got." 

"Thank  you ;  I  don't  see  any  use  in  it,"  said 
Harry,  coldly. 

"You  dassent!" 

"Very  well!     Call  it  that." 

"Joel's  been  spying  upon  me.  He  must  have 
seen  me  on  the  hill,"  concluded  Harry.  "It's 
well  I  gave  most  of  my  money  to  Mr.  Conway." 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

ME.   FOX  LEARNS  HARRY'S  SECRET. 

Harry  had  acted  none  too  soon.  It  hap- 
pened that  his  secret  had  been  discovered  not 
only  by  Joel,  but  by  Joel's  father,  that  very- 
morning. 


72  Facing   the   World. 

Mr.  Fox  had  been  surprised  that  Harry  had 
received  so  little,  especially  when  he  consid- 
ered how  large  a  sum  he  had  given  to  Mrs. 
Brock.  Mentally  he  had  stigmatized  his  ward 
as  a  reckless  fool  to  part  with  so  large  a  pro- 
portion of  his  property.  Yet  he  had  never 
doubted  that  fifteen  dollars  was  all  that  Harry 
had  left,  and,  small  as  it  was,  he  was  eager  to 
get  it  into  his  hands,  as  we  already  know. 

About  ten  o'clock  Mr.  Fox  had  occasion  to 
go  to  the  village.  In  the  post  office  he  met  an 
acquaintance  from  a  neighboring  town,  with 
whom  he  passed  the  usual  compliments. 

"By  the  way.  Fox,"  said  his  friend,  "I  had 
a  narrow  escape  the  other  day." 

"What  was  it,  Pearson?" 

"Came  near  being  smashed  on  the  railroad." 

"Where?" 

"Here,  down  by  your  depot.  Didn't  you  hear 
of  the  washout?" 

"Yes.    Were  you  on  the  train?" 

"I  was.  There  would  have  been  an  end  of 
us,  but  for  a  brave  boy,  who  signaled  the  train 
in  time." 

"That  boy  was  my  w^ard,"  said  John  Fox, 
complacently. 

"You  don't  say  so!  Well,  he  was  a  lucky 
chap." 

"I  don't  think  so.    He  didn't  get  much  for 


Facing   the   World.  73 

his  bravery.  On  my  word,  I  think  he  was 
meanly  treated." 

"I  don't  see  how  you  can  say  that.  How 
much  money  did  he  get?" 

"Twenty-five  dollars,  and  of  that  he  gave 
ten  to  the  woman  whose  tablecloth  he  bor- 
rowed." 

"There's  some  mistake  about  that.  There 
must  have  been  forty  or  fifty  bills  put  into  his 
hands,  and  I  know  that  there  were  two  ten- 
dollar  bills  among  them.  I  myself  gave  two 
dollars." 

"Is  this  true?"  ejaculated  Fox,  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"Just  as  true  as  I'm  standing  here.  If 
there  wasn't  two  or  three  hundred  dollars  I'll 
eat  my  head." 

"The  artful  young  rascal!"  exclaimed  Fox, 
in  virtuous  indignation.  "He  told  me  he  had 
only  fifteen  dollars  left  after  what  he  gave  to 
Mrs.  Brock." 

"Perhaps  he  thought  you  would  take  it  from 
him.  The  boy  was  smart,"  said  Pearson, 
laughing. 

"You  call  it  smart!  I  call  it  base  and 
treacherous!"  said  John  Fox,  very  much  ex- 
cited. 

"Did  he  give  you  the  fifteen  dollars?" 

"No,  he  didn't.    He  wanted  to  keep  it  him- 


74  Facing    the   World. 

self.    As  it  was  a  small  sum,  I  let  him  do  it." 

Mr.  Fox  was  silent  as  to  the  character  of  the 
efforts  he  made  to  secure  the  money. 

"After  all,  the  money  belonged  to  the  boy, 
Fox." 

"I  don't  agree  with  you.  Ain't  I  his  guar- 
deen,  I'd  like  to  know?" 

"I  won't  deny  it,  though  I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  it.     I'll  take  your  word  for  it." 

"Then,  of  course,  I'm  entitled  to  his  money," 
continued  Mr.  Fox. 

"To  what  money  was  left  him,  I  admit ;  that 
is,  to  keep  in  trust  for  him.  But  this  money 
•was  different." 

"No  difference  at  all !  As  his  guardeen  it's 
my  duty  to  take  it  from  him,  and  not  let  him 
spend  it  foolishly,  as  I've  no  doubt  he  would.'^ 

"He  must  have  hidden  it  somewhere." 

"I'll  find  it,  wherever  it  is.  If  that  boy  ex- 
pects to  outwit  John  Fox,  he's  got  to  get  up 
pretty  early  in  the  morning." 

"Have  you  been  appointed  his  guardian?" 

"Well,  no,  not  yet;  but  I  was  his  father's 
choice,  and  of  course  there  won't  be  any  oppo- 
sition." 

"How  old  is  the  boy?" 

"About  fifteen  or  sixteen." 

"He  might  make  a  different  choice.  The 
law  would  allow  it  in  a  boy  of  his  age." 


Facing   the   World.  75 

"Don't  you  go  to  putting  that  into  his  head," 
said  Mr.  Fox,  uneasily. 

"I  am  not  likely  to  see  him.  Did  his  father 
know  you?" 

"Well,  no ;  we  never  met." 

"That  explains  it." 

"Explains  what?"  said  Fox,  suspiciously. 

"Oh,  nothing  particular,"  answered  Pearson, 
evasively. 

Mr.  Fox  suspected  that  he  meant  something 
uncomplimentary,  but  did  not  push  the  ques- 
tion. 

"Of  all  the  artful  boys,"  said  Fox  to  himself, 
"this  boy,  Harry,  takes  the  cake.  But  it  won't 
do  him  any  good.  He'll  find  that  John  Fox 
is  a  match  for  him." 

Mr.  Fox  walked  thoughtfully  away.  He  was 
considering  how  he  should  get  hold  of  his 
ward's  money.  It  was  not  a  question  easy 
to  answer.  Evidently  Harry  was  a  boy  who 
kept  his  own  counsel,  and  knew  how  to  take 
care  of  himself. 

As  Mr.  Fox  was  walking  up  the  road  he 
fell  in  with  Joel. 

"Where've  you  been,  Joel?"  he  asked. 

"Follerin'  Harry,  as  mam  told  me  to." 

"So  she  did.    Well,  where  did  he  go?" 

"To  the  top  of  the  hill  about  five  minutes' 
walk  from  the  depot." 


76  Facing   the   World. 

"What  did  he  do  there?" 

"What'll  you  give  to  know,  dad?" 

"No  foolin'  with  your  father,  Joel.  Tell  me 
right  away." 

"I've  found  out  something,  dad;  something 
that'll  surprise  you." 

"I  don't  know  about  that.  I've  found  out 
something  myself." 

"This  is  something  important — awful  im- 
portant. What  do  you  think  he  did  upon  the 
Mil?" 

"Hid  his  money,  didn't  he?"  suggested  Mr. 
Fox. 

"You're  mighty  near,  hut  you  ain't  right. 
He  dug  it  up.    It  was  hid  there  already." 

"Did  you  see  it?  How  much  was  there?" 
asked  Fox,  eagerly. 

"There  was  a  big  roll  of  bills.  There  must 
have  been  over  a  hundred  dollars." 

Joel  expected  his  father  to  exhibit  astonish- 
ment, but  in  this  he  was  disappointed.  Mr. 
Fox  nodded  in  a  satisfied  way. 

"Then  that  story  that  Pearson  told  me  was 
correct,"  he  said. 

"What  did  he  tell  you?" 

"He  said  there  was  a  big  collection  made 
for  the  boy  by  the  passengers;  that  it  must 
have  amounted  to  two  hundred  dollars  or 
more." 


Facing   the   World.  7^ 

Joel  whistled. 

"I  guess  it's  so,"  he  replied.  "There  was  a 
big  roll  of  bills  he  took  out  of  a  hole  in  the 
ground." 

"What  did  he  do  with  it?" 

"Put  it  in  his  pocket." 

"That's  good.  Then  he's  got  it  with  him 
now ;  eh,  Joel  ?" 

"Yes,  dad." 

"That  suits  me.  Joel,  I  must  have  that 
money." 

"Will  you  give  me  some,  dad?" 

"What  should  I  give  you  any  for,  I'd  like  to 
know?" 

"Because  I  told  you." 

"You  told  me  what  I  knew  before.  Besides, 
the  money  won't  be  mine.  I'm  to  take  care 
of  it  as  his  guardeen." 

"I  wish  I  was  somebody's  guardeen,"  said 
Joel. 

"It  wouldn't  do  much  good.  It's  more 
bother  than  it's  worth." 

"Then  why  don't  you  give  it  up,  dad?"  asked 
Joel,  shrewdly. 

"P'rhaps  I  will  some  time." 

"After  Harry's  money  is  all  gone,'*  thought 
Joel. 

"On  the  whole,  Joel,  you  may  as  well  keep 
on  follerin'  Harry  to  see  what  he  does  with 


78  Facing   the   World. 

the  money.  I  want  him  to  keep  it  about  him, 
and  I'll  get  hold  of  it  afore  mornin'." 

"All  right,  dad." 

Joel  turned  back  and  joined  Harry,  who 
was  still  near  the  depot. 

"I  thought  I'd  come  back,"  he  explained. 
"'If  I  go  home  the  old  man  will  make  me  work.'^ 

"Have  you  seen  your  father?"  asked  Harry, 

"I  saw  him  up  the  road  a  few  minutes  ago." 

"And  he  put  you  on  my  track,"  said  Harry  to 
himself,  with  a  smile.  "You're  too  late,  my 
young  friend.     The  money  is  disposed  of." 

Having  nothing  further  to  conceal,  our  hero 
chatted  socially  with  Joel,  who  flattered  him- 
self he  was  playing  the  detective  in  creditable 
Btyle. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HARRY  BECOMES  A  PRISONER. 

"Joel  seems  to  have  a  great  partiality  for 
my  society,"  thought  Harry,  when,  after  din- 
ner, his  guardian's  son  continued  to  follow  him 
about. 

Our  hero  would  have  been  quite  willing  to 
(dispense  with  Joel's  companionship,  but,  being 
good-natured,  he  had  not  felt  like  dismissing: 


Facing   the   World.  79 

him,  as  he  would  have  done  had  he  suspected 
that  the  boy  was  acting  as  a  spy  upon  him, 
at  his  father's  request. 

Mr.  Fox  said  very  little  to  his  ward  at  the 
table,  but  Harry  felt  that  he  was  eying  him 
intently. 

"I  wonder  what  makes  me  so  interesting," 
he  asked  himself,  half  inclined  to  laugh. 

Mrs.  Fox,  too,  w^as  very  silent.  She  had 
learned  from  her  husband  the  extent  of  Har- 
ry's good  fortune,  and  felt  very  indignant  at 
the  new  boy's  evident  intention  of  keeping  the 
money  in  his  possession.  On  the  whole,  there- 
fore, the  dinner  party  was  not  very  social. 
Joel  alone  seemed  in  good  spirits,  and  chatted 
and  laughed,  occasionally  glancing  significant- 
ly from  his  father  to  Harry.  He  was  looking 
forward  with  enjoyment  to  the  scene  between 
them,  when  his  father  demanded  the  money. 
He  had  no  doubt  that  Harry  would  have  to  give 
in,  and  while  he  had  no  particular  dislike  for 
our  hero,  he  was  prepared  to  rejoice  over  his 
humiliation. 

After  supper  Harry  was  about  to  leave  the 
room  when  Mr.  Fox  stopped  him. 

"Wait  a  moment,  young  man,"  he  said,  in  a 
commanding  tone. 

"Very  well,  sir,"  returned  Harry,  quietly  j 
^'do  you  wish  to  speak  to  me?" 


8o  Facing   the   World. 

"Yes,  I  do  wish  to  speak  to  you,  Harry 
Vane." 

"Aha!  there's  something  in  the  wind/' 
thought  Harry,  and  he  resumed  his  seat. 

"You  have  deceived  me,"  continued  Mr.  Fox, 
severely. 

Harry  didn't  seem  intimidated,  but  said, 
composedly:  "Will  you  be  kind  enough  to 
let  me  know  in  what  manner  I  have  deceived 
you?" 

"You  have  concealed  from  me  the  amount  of 
money  you  received  yesterday  for  saving  the 
railroad  train." 

"I  deny  that,  sir.  I  have  not  told  you,  be- 
cause I  did  not  think  it  was  necessary." 

"Am  I  not  your  guardeen?  I  ask  you 
that." 

"Not  yet,  sir." 

"Well,  I  shall  be,  and  that  is  the  same  thing. 
It  is  my  duty  to  take  care  of  your  money." 

"The  money  I  received  for  my  service  yester- 
day was  not  left  me  by  my  father.  It  belongs 
to  me,  and  I  mean  to  keep  it,"  said  Harry, 
firmly; 

"We  shall  see  about  that,"  said  John  Fox, 
nodding  his  head  with  emphasis.  "We  shall 
see  about  that.  Now,  will  you  answer  the 
question  I  am  going  to  ask  you?" 

"What  is  it,  sir?" 


Facing   the   World.  8i 

"How  much  money  did  the  passengers  give 

''Almost  three  hundred  dollars,"  answered 
Harry,  composedly. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  the  like!"  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Fox,  in  amazement.  "If  it  had  only 
be>^n  eloel." 

"Thunder!"  exclaimed  that  young  gentle- 
man. "Well,  you  was  lucky.  No  such  luck 
Ur  me !" 

"It  is  well  you  have  told  me,"  said  John 
Fox ,  "not  but  I  knew  before.  I  met  one  of  the 
passengers  to-day,  and  he  gave  me  an  idea  how 
much  it  was.  You  will  please  hand  it  over  to 
me,  and  I  will  take  care  of  it." 

"1  shall  not  be  able  to  comply  with  your  re- 
quest, Mr.  Fox,"  said  Harry. 

"You  won't,  hey?    And  why  not?" 

"Because  I  have  not  the  money  with  me." 

"I  don't  believe  it.  l^'ou  had  it  this  morn- 
ing." 

"That  is  true,  though  I  don't  know  how  you 
found  out." 

"And  Joel  has  been  with  you  ever  since,, 
so  you  haven't  had  time  to  hide  it." 

"So  that  was  the  reason  you  favored  me  with 
your  company,  Joel,"  said  Harry,  with  a  glance 
at  his  guardian's  son. 

Joel  grinned,  but  did  not  speak. 


82  Facing   the   World. 

"Oh,  yes;  I  was  too  sharp  for  you,"  said 
John  Fox,  complacently.  "I've  trapped  you 
at  last." 

"I  think  you  are  mistaken,  Mr.  Fox,  said 
Harry,  showing  no  signs  of  confusion  or 
alarm. 

"All  you've  got  to  do  is  to  hand  over  that 
money  now,  Harry  Vane.  Mind,  I  will  have 
it." 

"I  assure  you,  Mr.  Fox,  that  I  haven't  the 
money  with  me." 

"Where  is  it,  then?"  asked  Mr.  Fox,  incredu- 
lous. 

"I  managed  to  put  it  in  a  place  of  security, 
in  spite  of  Joel's  watchfulness." 

"I  shan't  believe  it  unless  you  tell  me  where 
it  is." 

"Did  you  put  it  back  in  the  hole?"  asked 
Joel,  in  eager  curiosity. 

"So  you  were  watching  me  this  morning? 
No,  I  did  not.  If  I  had  you  would  have  seen 
me  do  it." 

"I'm  your  guardeen ;  I  ought  to  know  where 
the  money  is,"  said  Fox^  in  a  different  tone, 
resorting  to  finesse. 

"Very  well,  sir,  I  will  give  you  a  clew.  I 
have  put  it  into  the  hands  of  a  gentleman  in 
whom  I  have  confidence,  who  will  take  care 
of  it  for  me." 


Facing   the   World.  83 

"What's  the  man's  name?"  demanded  John 
Fox,  frowning. 

"That  is  my  secret." 

"You  seem  to  forget  that  you  are  only  a  boy, 
Harry  Vane." 

"No,  I  don't,  sir ;  but  I  remember  that  boys 
have  some  rights." 

"You  have  rebelled  against  my  lawful  au- 
thority. Maria,  what  is  it  my  duty  to  do  with 
this  boy?" 

"Lock  him  up !"  answered  Mrs.  Fox,  grimly. 

"A  good  suggestion,  Mrs.  F.  Imprisonment 
may  change  the  boy's  ideas.  He  may  repent 
his  base  conduct."  » 

"Mr.  Fox,"  said  Harry,  coolly,  "why  are  you 
so  anxious  to  get  hold  of  my  money?" 

"Because  you  are  too  young  to  take  care  of 
it." 

"You  think  it  will  not  be  safe  in  my  hands, 
sir?" 

"Yes,  that  is  what  I  mean." 

"I  don't  agree  with  you.  Still,  the  money  is 
not  in  my  hands,  as  I  have  already  told  you." 

"Where  is  it,  then?"  asked  Mr.  Fox,  suspi- 
ciously. 

"I  decline  to  tell  you." 

"John  Fox,  are  you  goin'  to  let  that  whip- 
per-snapper get  the  best  of  you?"  asked  Mrs. 
Fox,  indignantly.    "Brace  up  and  be  a  man." 


§4  Facing   the   World. 

"There  ain't  no  need  to  tell  me  that,  Maria. 
I'll  show  him  his  duty.  So,  hoy,  you  defy  me, 
€h?" 

"No,"  answered  Harry ;  "I  am  willing  to  sub- 
mit to  proper  authority.  But  you  are  asking 
of  me  what  you  have  no  right  to  do." 

"I  guess  I'm  the  proper  judge  of  that,"  said 
John  Fox,  gathering  courage  from  the  stern 
expression  of  his  wife's  face.  "I  ask  you  once 
more,  will  you  hand  over  that  money?" 

"I  would  prefer  not  to,  Mr.  Fox." 

"That's  no  answer.  Will  you,  or  will  you 
not?" 

"If  you  put  it  that  way,  I  will  not." 

Mrs.  Fox  jerked  her  head  quickly,  and 
glared  ^t  Harry  with  an  expression  by  no 
means  amiable. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it,  Mr. 
Fox?"  she  asked. 

"What  would  you  do,  Maria?"  returned  her 
husband,  apparently  undecided. 

"I  think  it  a  case  where  a  horsewhip  should! 
come  into  play." 

Mr.  Fox  glanced  at  his  ward.  On  his  boyishi 
face  he  saw  a  look  of  stern  determination 
which  led  him  to  hesitate. 

"It  may  come  to  that,"  he  said,  "but- I'll  try 
jsomethin'  else  fu'st.    Joel,  get  a  candle." 

Joel  obeyed. 


Facing   the   World.  85 

'^Now,  young  man,"  said  Fox,  in  a  tone  of 
authority,  "go  up  to  your  chamber,  and  stay 
there  till  you're  ready  to  obey  orders." 

Harry  hesitated  a  moment,  then  took  the 
candle  quietly  and  went  upstairs.  Mr.  Pox  was 
relieved,  for  he  was  a  little  apprehensive  that 
his  ward  would  prove  rebellious  and  decline 
to  obey. 

"You  see,  Maria,"  he  said,  triumphantly, 
after  Harry  had  left  the  room,  "I've  con- 
quered him." 

"You  haven't  got  the  money !"  rejoined  Mrs. 
Fox,  dryly. 

John  Fox  stole  up  after  his  ward,  and  Harry 
heard  the  door  bolted  on  the  outside. 

He  was  a  prisoner. 


CHAPTEE    XIII. 

HARRY    ESCAPES. 

If  Mr.  Fox  had  been  wiser,  it  would  have 
occurred  to  him  that  it  would  be  more  pru- 
dent to  wait  till  he  had  actually  received  the 
appointment  of  guardian,  before  he  pushed  his 
ward  to  extremity.  But  he  was  of  a  bullying 
disposition,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  faith  in  his 


26  Facing   the   World. 

ability  to  manage  boys.  Harry  was  inferior  to 
him  in  size  and  physical  strength,  and  he  felt 
sure  he  could  subject  him  to  his  authority 
in  time.  He  didn't  know  the  boy  with  whom 
he  had  to  deal.  Our  hero  was  not  difficult  to 
manage  by  an  appeal  to  his  reason,  but  his 
spirit  rose  indignantly  when  anyone  attempted 
to  bully  or  browbeat  him. 

When  he  heard  the  bolt  slide  in  the  lock,  he 
said  to  himself:  "Mr.  Fox  and  I  can  never 
agree.  He  has  not  yet  been  appointed  my 
guardian,  and  he  never  will  receive  the  ap- 
pointment, I  have  the  right  to  choose  for  my- 
self, as  Mr.  Howard  told  me,  and  I  mean  to 
exercise  it." 

Some  of  my  readers  may,  perhaps,  picture 
Harry  as  forcing  open  the  door  of  his  cham- 
ber, and  rushing  from  the  house,  breathing 
loud  defiance  as  he  went.  But  he  was  a  sensi- 
ble boy,  and  meditated  nothing  of  the  kind. 

"I  can  wait  till  morning,"  he  reflected.  "I 
don't  think  I  shall  be  here  twenty  hours  hence, 
but  I  mean  to  get  a  good  night's  sleep.  It  will 
be  time  enough  to  decide  in  the  morning  what 
I  will  do." 

So,  in  spite  of  his  imprisonment,  Harry 
enjoyed  a  comfortable  night's  sleep,  and  was 
awakened  in  the  morning  by  hearing  his  door 
opened. 


Facing   the   World.  8^ 

Mr.  Fox  entered,  and  sat  down  on  a  cliair  by 
the  bed. 

"Good-morning,  sir,"  said  Harry,  compo- 
sedly.   "I  hope  you  had  a  good  night's  rest." 

"I  say,  boy,  you've  got  cheek,"  remarked 
Fox,  puzzled.  "You  are  talking  as  if  nothing 
had  happened." 

"Nothing  has  happened  to  prevent  my  being 
polite,  Mr.  Fox." 

"Much  you  care  about  my  night's  rest !  Ef 
I  had  acted  as  bad  as  you,  I  couldn't  have 
slept  a  wink." 

"I  slept  very  well,  thank  you,  Mr.  Fox." 

"I  didn't  ask,"  snapped  Fox,  "and  I  don't 
care.  What  I  want  to  know  is,  have  you  made 
up  your  mind  to  do  as  I  told  you  last  night?" 

"About  the  money?" 

"Sartain,  about  the  money." 

"I  prefer  to  keep  it  in  my  own  possession, 
if  that  is  what  you  want  to  know." 

"So  you  ain't  subdued  yet!  I  guess  I'll 
have  to  keep  you  here  a  little  longer." 

"Then  be  kind  enough  to  send  me  up  some 
breakfast." 

"You  don't  deserve  none." 

"Still,  as  I  am  paying  my  board,  I  shall 
object  to  paying  unless  I  get  my  meals  regU" 
larly." 

This  consideration  weighed  with  John  Fox, 


88  Facing    the   World. 

and  he  sent  Joel  up  with  a  cup  of  coffee  ano 
some  dry  bread,  five  minutes  later. 

"Don't  let  him  get  out,  and  bolt  the  door 
after  you,  Joel,"  said  his  mother. 

"Here's  your  breakfast,  Harry,"  said  Joel, 
his  speckled  face  overspread  with  a  grin. 

"Thank  you,  Joel.  Didn't  you  have  any- 
thing better  than  that?" 

"Yes,  we  had  sassiges  and  pertaters,  but 
dad  and  mam  are  awful  mad  Avith  you,  and 
mam  says  this  is  good  enough  for  you." 

"It  will  keep  me  from  starving,  at  least," 
and  Harry  began  to  dispose  of  his  meager 
meal. 

"I  say,  Harry,  you'd  better  give  in.  The 
old  man  is  bound  to  make  you." 

"The  old  man  has  undertaken  a  large  job, 
'Joel,"  said  Harry,  quietly. 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  you'll  stick  it  out?" 

"I  think  I  shall." 

"You've  got  spunk !"  said  Joel,  admiringly. 

"Thank  you,  Joel;  so  I  have  when  I  know 
I  am  right." 

"S'pose  dad  should  keep  you  here  a  month?" 

"I  don't  think  he  will.  By  the  way,  Joel, 
come  up  here  about  the  middle  of  the  fore- 
noon; I  want  to  say  a  few  words  to  you  Ib 
private." 

"All  right,  I'll  come.    I  must  go  down  now." 


Facing   the   World.  89 

"What  did  he  say,  Joel?"  asked  Mrs.  Fox, 
as  her  son  and  heir  descended  the  stairs. 

"He  asked  if  that  was  all  we  had  for  break- 
fast, mam." 

"Turned  up  his  nose  at  the  breakfast,  hey? 
It's  more'n  he  deserves  after  such  goin's  on." 

"I  wonder  what  he  wants  to  see  me  about?" 
said  Joel,  to  himself. 

Joel  made  a  pretty  shrewd  guess,  and  re- 
solved, by  all  means,  to  keep  the  appointment. 

He  wac  anxious  to  get  his  father  out  of  the 
way,  but  John  Fox  was  unusually  deliberate 
in  his  motions.  Finally,  about  half-past  nine, 
he  left  the  house  for  the  village.  Mrs.  Fox 
went  in  and  out  about  her  work  as  usual. 
She  was  somewhat  surprised  to  find  Joel  re- 
maining in  the  house  contrary  to  his  custom. 

"What  makes  you  hang  round  the  house, 
Joel?"  she  asked. 

"I've  got  a  little  headache,  mam,"  answered 
Joel,  drawing  down  the  corners  of  his  mouth. 

"Shall  I  mix  you  some  camomile  tea,  Joel?" 

"No,"  answered  Joel,  hastily,  for  he  remem- 
bered very  well  the  bitter  taste  of  this,  his 
mother's  sovereign  remedy.  "I  guess  it'll  go 
off  bimeby." 

Presently  his  mother  said:  "Joel,  if  you'll 
stay  and  mind  the  house,  I'll  run  over  to  Mrs. 
Bean's    and    borrow    some    sugar;    I    never 


90  Facing   the   World. 

thought  to  ask  your  father  to  get  some.  If 
you  was  well,  I'd  ask  you  to  go  up  to  the 
store." 

"I'll  stay  and  mind  the  house,  mam,"  said 
'Joel,  with  avidity. 

His  mother  put  on  her  bonnet,  and  started 
across  a  field  to  her  nearest  neighbor's. 

"Now's  my  time,"  thought  Joel.  "Mam's 
sure  to  get  to  talkin'  with  Mrs.  Bean,  and  stay 
half  an  hour  or  more." 

He  ran  up  the  garret  stairs,  and  drew  the 
bolt  that  held  Harry  captive. 

"Well,  Harry,  I've  come,"  he  said.  "You 
wanted  me  to  come,  you  know." 

"Yes,  Joel." 

"Have  you  got  anything  to  say  to  me?"  said 
Joel,  suggestively. 

"Yes,  Joel,  I  want  you  to  let  me  out  of  this 
place." 

"Oh,  gracious !"  exclaimed  Joel,  in  apparent 
dismay.  "Dad  would  give  me  the  wu'st  kind 
of  a  lickin'." 

"Would  he  know  how  I  got  out?"  asked 
Harry. 

"I  don't  know.  What  are  you  willing  to 
give?" 

Harry  saw  that  it  was  merely  a  matter  of 
bargaining,  and  finally  prevailed  upon  Joel 
to  release  him  for  a  five-dollar  bill.    Of  course. 


Facing   the   World.  91! 

more  was  demanded,  but,  on  the  whole,  Joel 
was  satisfied  with  the  terms  finally  agreed 
upon. 

"I  want  the  money  now,"  said  Joel. 

"How  do  I  know  that  you  will  do  as  you  have 
agreed?" 

"Give  me  the  money,  and  I'll  tell  you." 

Harry  passed  over  the  bank  bill,  and  Joel 
said: 

"Dad's  gone  to  the  village,  and  mam's  gone 
gone  over  to  Mrs.  Bean's.  All  you've  got  to  do 
is  to  go  downstairs,  and  walk  out." 

Harry  was  by  no  means  slow  to  take  the  hint. 

"Good-by,  Joel,"  he  said,  extending  his 
hand;  "I  won't  forget  the  favor  you've  done 
me." 

"Ain't  you  comin'  back?" 

"Not  at  present.  I  find  that  your  father  and 
I  will  never  agree,  and  I  prefer  to  go  away 
somewhere  and  face  the  world  by  myself." 

"I  don't  know  what  dad'll  say.  There'll  be 
an  awful  fuss.  Just  give  me  a  box  on  the  ear, 
won't  you?" 

"What  for?" 

"I'll  tell  dad  you  gave  me  an  awful  clip  on 
the  side  of  the  head,  and  ran  off,  though  I 
tried  to  stop  you." 

"All  right,"  said  Harry,  laughing. 

He  gave  Joel  the  required  box  on  the  ear, 


92  Facing   the   World. 

tripped  liim  up,  laying  him  gently  on  his 
back  on  the  landing,  and  then,  with  a  friendly 
"good-by,"  he  ran  down  the  stairs,  and  before 
Mrs.  Fox  returned  from  her  call  was  a  mile 
away. 

She  found  Joel  wiping  his  eyes. 

"What's  the  matter,  Joel?"  she  asked.  "Is 
your  headache  wuss?" 

"Yes,  ma,  and  that  isn't  the  wu'st  of  it." 

"What's  happened?    Tell  me,  quick!' 

"That  boy,  Harry,  called  me  upstairs,  and 
got  me  to  open  the  door.  Then  he  gave  me  an 
almighty  clip  on  the  side  of  the  head  that  al- 
most stunned  me,  then  he  knocked  me  over, 
and  ran  out  of  the  house  as  fast  as  he  could 
run — my  head  aches  awful!" 

"The  owdacious  young  ruffian!"  ejaculated 
Mrs.  Fox.  "To  beat  my  poor,  dear  Joel  so! 
Never  mind,  Joel,  dear,  I'll  give  you  a  piece 
of  pie  and  some  cake.  As  for  that  boy,  he'll 
be  hung  some  day,  I  reckon." 

After  eating  the  cake  and  pie,  which  were 
luxuries  in  that  frugal  household,  Joel  said 
he  felt  better.  He  went  out  behind  the  house, 
and  taking  out  the  five-dollar  note,  surveyed 
it  with  great  satisfaction. 


Facing   the   World.  93 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

AN    EXCITING    CHASE. 

When  John  Fox  went  to  the  village  he  usu- 
ally stopped  at  the  tavern,  and  invested  ten 
cents  in  a  glass  of  whisky.  Though  economi- 
cal to  the  verge  of  meanness,  he  generally  in- 
dulged himself  once  a  day  or  more  in  this 
way.  But  for  his  love  of  money,  he  would  have 
gratified  his  taste  oftener.  So,  in  this  in- 
stance, his  avarice  served  him  a  good  turn,  and 
prevented  his  becoming  a  drunkard. 

He  had  a  little  business  in  the  village,  but 
called,  first,  as  usual,  at  the  tavern.  Here  he 
met  two  or  three  of  his  cronies. 

"Folks  say  you've  got  a  new  boarder.  Fox," 
said  Bill  Latimer,  as  he  laid  down  his  glass 
on  the  counter. 

"Yes,"  answered  Fox,  complacently.  "I'm 
his  guardeen." 

"He's  the  boy  that  saved  the  train,  ain't  he?" 
asked  Latimer. 

"Yes,  that's  he." 

"Folks  say  he  got  a  pile  of  money  for  doing 
it." 

"He  got  a  pretty  stiff  sum,"  answered  John 
Fox,  cautiously. 


94  Facing   the   World. 

"How  much,  now?" 

"What  do  you  say  to  two  hundred  dollars ?'' 

"I'd  save  ten  trains  for  that  money.  Do 
you  keep  his  money?" 

"Yes." 

"How  much  property  did  his  father  leave?" 

"The  estate  hasn't  been  settled  yet,"  said 
Fox,  who  knew  how  to  keep  his  own  counsel. 
"I  can't  say  how  much  money  there  is." 

"How  did  he  happen  to  apply  to  you?"  asked 
Eben  Bond,  curiously. 

"There's  a  sort  of  relationship  between  us, 
Eben." 

"Is  he  easy  to  manage?"  asked  John  Blake. 

"Well,  some  folks  might  find  trouble  with 
him,"  said  Fox,  complacently.  "The  fact  is, 
gentlemen,  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that  he's 
been  trying  to  buck  agin'  his  guardeen  a'ready. 
Where  do  you  think  I  left  him?"  continued 
Fox,  chuckling. 

"Where?" 

"Up  in  the  attic,  locked  up  in  his  chamber. 
I'm  goin'  to  feed  him  on  bread  and  water  a 
while,  just  to  show  him  what  sort  of  a  man 
'John  Fox  is." 

A  grin  overspread  the  face  of  Eben  Bond, 
who  had.  just  looked  out  of  the  front  window. 

"So  you  left  him  in  the  attic,  hey?"  he  said, 
"waggishly. 


Facing   the   World.  95 

"Yes,  I  did.  Do  you  mean  to  say  I 
didn't?" 

"I'll  bet  you  a  quarter  he  isn't  there  now." 

"I  know  he  is,  Eben  Bond.  Seems  to  me 
you're  making  a  fool  of  yourself." 

"Maybe  I  am,  but  I'm  willin'  to  bet  he  isn't 
there  now." 

"What  makes  you  say  that?"  asked  Fox,  sus- 
piciously. 

"Oh,  I'm  foolin'.  It  don't  make  any  differ- 
ence what  I  say,"  returned  Eben,  with  a  comi- 
cal leer. 

"You  jest  tell  me  what  you  mean,  Eben 
Bond!"  said  John  Fox,  provoked. 

"I  mean  that  I  saw  that  boy  of  yours — I 
don't  know  his  name — ^go  by  the  tavern  only 
two  minutes  since." 

"Is  that  true?"  gasped  Fox. 

"True  as  gospel!  I  reckon  he's  more'n  a 
match  for  his  guardeen;  hey,  boys?" 

"Where  did  he  go?  In  what  direction?"  de- 
manded Fox,  eagerly. 

"Down  toward  the  river." 

"There  ain't  no  trick  about  it?"  asked  Fox. 

"Ask  Sam  Wallace — ^he  must  have  met  him." 

Sam  Wallace,  a  stout  young  man,  had  just 
entered  the  room. 

"Did  you  meet  my  new  boy,  Sam?"  as'ked 
Fox,  turning  to  the  newcomer. 


96  Facing    the   World. 

"Yes,  I  met  him  down  the  road  a  piece;  he 
seemed  in  an  awful  hurry." 

"He's  running  away,"  Fox  said  to  himself, 
in  dismay.  "How  in  the  world  did  he  get 
out?" 

He  ran  up  the  road,  gazing  anxiously  on  this 
side  and  on  that,  hoping  to  come  upon  the  run- 
away. On  thing  was  favorable;  it  was  a 
straight  road  with  no  roads  opening  out  of 
it  for  at  least  a  mile  beyond  the  tavern.  It 
led  by  the  river  at  a  point  half  a  mile  on. 

"I'll  catch  him  yet.  He  can't  escape  me!" 
Fox  reflected,  his  courage  beginning  to  return. 
"When  I  get  hold  of  him  I'll  handle  him  pretty 
rough.  He'll  find  he  can't  cut  any  of  his  didos 
on  me." 

"Have  you  seen  a  boy  go  up  the  road?"  he 
asked  of  Georgie  Foster,  a  small  boy,  whom  he 
met. 

"Yes,"  answered  Georgie,  carelessly. 

"Who  was  it?" 

"It's  the  boy  that's  livin'  at  your  house — I 
don't  know  his  name." 

"Thank  you,  Georgie!  That's  a  nice  boy* 
I'll  give  you  a  cent  some  time." 

"Hadn't  you  better  give  it  to  me  now?" 
asked  Georgie,  shrewdly. 

"I  haven't  got  any  now.    Where  did  he  go?" 

"I  guess  he  went  down  to  the  river." 


Facing   the   World.  97 

John  Fox  pushed  on  breathless,  and  a  min- 
ute later  came  in  sight  of  the  fugitive. 

Harry  had  sobered  down  to  a  walk,  thinking 
himself  no  longer  in  danger.  If  Mr.  Fox  had 
been  wise  enough  to  keep  silent  till  he  had 
come  within  a  few  rods  he  might  have  caught 
him  easily,  but  excitement  and  anger  were  too 
much  for  his  prudence,  and  he  called  out,  an- 
grily: "Just  wait  till  I  get  hold  of  you,  you 
young  villain !    I'll  give  you  a  lesson." 

Harry  turned  quickly  and  saw  the  enemy 
close  upon  him. 

That  was  enough.  He  set  out  on  what  the 
boys  call  a  dead  run,  though  he  hardly  knew  in 
what  direction  to  look  for  a  refuge.  But 
through  the  trees  at  the  west  side  of  the  road 
he  caught  sight  of  something  that  put  new 
hope  into  his  heart.  It  was  a  boat,  floating 
within  three  feet  of  shore.  In  it  sat  a  boy 
of  about  his  own  age.  It  was  Willie  Foster, 
a  brother  of  Georgie. 

There  was  no  time  for  ceremony.  Harry 
sprang  into  the  boat,  and,  seizing  an  idle  oar, 
pushed  out  into  the  river. 

The  owner  of  the  boat,  who  had  been 
thoughtfully  gazing  into  the  water,  "looked  up 
in  surprise. 

"Well,  that's  cool!"  he  ejaculated. 
j    "I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Harry,  still  ply- 


98  Facing   the   World. 

ing  the  oar;  "I  couldn't  help  it;  Mr.  Fox  ia 
after  me." 

"What's  he  after  you  for^^ 

"I'll  tell  you  presently.    There  he  is !" 

John  Fox,  by  this  time,  stood  on  the  river 
bank  shaking  his  fist,  with  a  discomfited  ex- 
pression, at  his  intended  victim. 

"Come  back  here !"  he  shouted. 

"Thank  you,  I  would  rather  not,"  answered 
Harry,  still  increasing  the  distance  between 
timself  and  his  guardian. 

"You,  Willie  Foster,  row  the  boat  back!" 
bawled  John  Fox. 

"Is  your  name  Willie  Foster?"  asked  Har- 
ry, turning  to  his  companion,  who  was  look- 
ing, with  a  puzzled  expression,  from  one  to  the 
other. 

"Yes." 

"Then,  Willie,  if  you  will  help  me  row  over 
to  the  other  side  of  the  river  and  set  me  off 
there,  I'll  give  you  a  dollar." 

"I'll  do  it,"  said  Willie,  seizing  the  other 
oar,  "but  you  needn't  give  me  any  money." 

To  his  intense  disgust,Fox  saw  the  boat, 
propelled  by  the  two  boys,  leaping  forward 
energetically,  while  he  stood  helplessly  on  the 
bank. 

The  other  bank  was  half  a  mile  away,  and 
could  not  be  reached  except  by  a  bridge  a 


Facing    the   World.  99 

considerable  distance  away.  The  two  boys 
said  little  until  the  trip  was  accomplished. 

"I  hope  you  won't  get  into  any  trouble  with 
Mr.  Fox,"  said  Harry,  as  they  drew  near  the 
bank. 

"I  don't  care  for  old  Fox,  and  father  doesn't 
like  him,  either.    Why  are  you  running  away?" 

Harry  told  him  in  a  few  words. 

As  he  got  out  of  the  boat  he  pressed  a  dollar 
into  Willie's  reluctant  hand. 

"Don't  be  afraid!  I've  got  plenty  more!" 
said  Harry.  "Now,  which  way  had  I  better 
go?" 

"Take  that  footpath.  It  will  lead  to  Med- 
field.    There  you  can  take  the  cars." 

"Good-by,  Willie;  and  thank  you." 

Willie  didn't  row  back  immediately.  John 
Fox  was  lying  in  wait  on  the  other  side,  and 
lie  didn't  care  to  meet  him. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

THE  MAGICIAN  OF  MADAGASCAR. 

Harry  pushed  on  till  he  reached  the  high* 
"way.  He  felt  in  doubt  as  to  where  it  might 
lead  him,  but  followed  it  at  a  venture.  He 
wondered  whether  John   Fox  would  pursue 


loo  Facing    the    World. 

him,  and  from  time  to  time  looked  back  to 
make  sure  that  his  guardian  was  not  on  his 
trail.  In  about  three  hours  he  found  himself 
eight  miles  away.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  he 
felt  that  it  might  be  safe  to  stop  and  rest.  In 
a  village  a  little  way  back  he  had  entered  a 
bakeshop  and  purchased  some  rolls  and  a  glass 
of  milk,  which  he  ate  with  a  good  relish. 

He  resumed  his  walk,  but  had  not  gone  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  when  he  heard  the  noise  of 
wheels,  which,  on  coming  up  with  him,  came  to 
a  halt. 

"Shall  I  give  you  a  lift?"  said  the  driver  of 
the  team. 

Looking  up,  he  saw  that  it  was  a  covered 
wagon  with  four  wheels,  such  as  is  often  to 
be  met  in  New  England  towns.  The  man  who 
held  the  reins  was  of  large  frame  and  portly, 
with  dark  hair  and  whiskers.  He  might  be 
about  forty-five  years  of  age. 

"If  you  prefer  riding  to  walking,  my  young 
friend,  jump  in !" 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Harry.  "I  do  prefer 
it  at  the  present  moment,  for  I  am  getting 
tired." 

"I'm  sorry  I  didn't  overtake  you  before.  I'm 
sociable,  and  like  some  one  to  talk  to." 

"Perhaps  your  horse  isn't  sorry,"  suggested 
Harry,  with  a  smile. 


Facing   the   World.  loi 

"Oh !  he  won't  mind  your  weight.  When  you 
get  to  my  weight  it  will  make  a  difference. 
iWhere  are  you  bound,  if  you  don't  mind  my 
being  inquisitive?" 

*''I  don't  know,"  answered  Harry,  doubtfully. 

"Don't  know !  Well,  that  is  curious.  Don't 
you  live  round  here?" 

"No ;  my  home  is  a  hundred  miles  away." 

"You  ain't  goin'  West  to  kill  Indians,  are 
you?"  inquired  his  companion,  jocosely. 

"No;  I'm  willing  the  Indians  should  live. 
The  fact  is,  I'm  seeking  my  fortune,  as  they 
Bay." 

"Well,  you  ought  to  find  it,"  returned  the 
other,  after  a  deliberate  survey  of  his  young 
companion.  "You're  w^ell  built,  and  look 
healthy  and  strong.  Have  you  got  any 
money?" 

"A  little.  My  father  died  lately  and  left 
me  three  hundred  dollars.  He  recommended 
to  me  as  guardian  a  man  named  John  Fox, 
living  eight  miles  back.  Well,  I  have  tried 
Mr.  Fox,  and  I  prefer  to  be  my  own  guardian.'^ 

"I've  heard  of  John  Fox.  He's  fox  my  name, 
and  fox  by  nature.  So  you  and  he  didn't  hitch 
horses?" 

"Not  at  all." 

"When  did  you  leave  him?" 

"This  morning.    I  don't  know  but  I  may  say 


102:  Facing    the   World. 

that  I  am  running  away  from  him,  as  I  left 
without  his  knowledge  or  permission,  but  aa 
he  is  not  yet  my  legal  guardian,  I  don't  con- 
sider that  he  has  any  right  to  interfere  with 
me." 

"Tell  me  what  sort  of  a  time  you  had  with' 
him,  if  you  don't  object." 

Upon  this  Harry  gave  a  graphic  account  of 
his  experience,  as  already  detailed.  His  com- 
panion seemed  very  much  amused,  and  laughed 
repeatedly. 

"That's  very  clever,"  he  said.  "You  out- 
witted the  old  man  nicely.  There'll  be  apt  to 
be  a  circus  when  they  find  out  how  you  got 
away." 

"I  don't  believe  they  will  find  out.  Joel 
will  be  cunning  enough  to  invent  some  story." 

"I  should  like  to  be  there  to  see  how  they 
cut  up." 

"I  wouldn't,"  said  Harry.  "I  don't  care  to 
set  eyes  on  any  of  the  family  again.  There!" 
he  suddenly  exclaimed,  "I've  forgotten  some- 
thing." 

"What  is  it?" 

"I'm  owing  Mr.  Fox  for  board." 

*'How  long  have  you  been  with  him?" 

"About  two  days." 

"Then  it  can't  be  much." 

^'I'll  mail  a  letter  from  the  first  place  that 


Facing   the   World.  103; 

is  far  enough  off  to  be  safe,  and  inclose  tUe 
five  dollars." 

"That's  too  much  for  two  days." 

"I  will  pay  the  week's  board.  I  won't  give 
him  any  reason  to  charge  me  with  dishonesty. 
Then  we  shall  be  even,  and  I  needn't  think  of 
him  again." 

"Perhaps  you  are  right.  You  haven't  told 
me  your  name  yet." 

"My  name  is  Harry  Vane." 

"A  good  name.    Who  do  you  think  I  am?" 

"You  may  be  Gen.  Miles,"  answered  Harry, 
smiling,  "but  I  don't  think  you  are." 

"I  am  not,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  I 
am  the  Magician  of  Madagascar.  You  may 
have  heard  of  me." 

"I  don't  think  I  have,"  said  Harry,  puzzled. 

The  magician  looked  slightly  disconcerted. 

"I  have  been  before  the  public  for  many 
years,"  he  said.  "I  give  magical  entertain- 
ments, and,  in  the  course  of  the  last  twenty 
years,  have  traveled  all  over  the  continent." 

"You  see,"  explained  Harry,  apologetically, 
"I  have  always  lived  in  a  small  country  town, 
where  there  were  few  amusements,  and  so  I 
know  very  little  of  such  things.  I  never  saw 
a  magical  entertainment  in  my  life." 

"Didn't  you,  indeed?  Then  you  shall  see  me 
perform  to-night.     I  am  to  give  a  magical 


[104  Facing   the   World. 

soiree  in  Conway,  the  town  we  are  coming  to." 

"I  should  like  it  very  much,  Mr.  "  and 

Harry  paused  in  doubt. 

"I  am  called  Prof.  Hemenway — Hiram  Hem- 
enway,"  said  the  magician.  "I  was  raised  in 
New  England,  and  my  parents  tried  to  make  a 
farmer  of  me.  Bat  it  was  of  no  use.  The  pub- 
lic needed  me,  and  I  became  what  you  see." 

The  professor  spoke  complacently.  He  evi- 
dently considered  himself  a  man  of  consider- 
able importance. 

"Do  you  like  your  business?"  asked  Harry, 
curiously. 

"Why  shouldn't  I?  I  have  a  chance  to 
travel.  The  people  appreciate  my  efforts,  and 
reward  me  generously.  I've  called  down  a 
few  thousands,  I  can  assure  you,  my  young 
friend." 

"I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it.  Prof.  Hemen- 
way." 

"Money  isn't  to  be  despised,  my  young 
friend,  and  I  earn  it  in  a  pleasant  way." 

By  a  fortunate  accident  Harry  happened  to 
turn  in  his  seat  and  look  through  a  small  win- 
dow in  the  back  part  of  the  wagon.  What 
lie  saw  startled  him.  In  a  buggy,  ten  rods 
back,  he  recognized  his  late  guardian  and 
Joel.  They  were  making  good  speed,  and  were 
doubtless  in  pursuit  of  him. 


Facing   the   World.  105 

Harry  quickly  imparted  his  discovery  to  his 
companion. 

"Don't  let  him  capture  me !"  he  said. 

"I  should  like  to  see  him  do  it,"  responded 
the  professor.  "Get  into  the  back  part  of  the 
wagon,  and  crouch  down." 

Harry  did  as  directed. 

Then  the  professor  slackened  his  speed,  and 
allowed  the  pursuers  to  overtake  him. 

"I  say,  stranger,"  said  Fox,  as  he  drew  up 
alongside. 

"All  right,  my  friend,  go  ahead  and  say  it !" 
observed  the  professor,  blandly. 

"A  boy  ran  away  from  me  this  morning. 
Perhaps  you  have  seen  him?" 

"Perhaps  so.    Is  he  your  son?" 

"No,  I'm  his  guardeen." 

"Why  did  he  run  away?  Did  you  ill  treat 
him?"  "^ 

"Certainly  not.  He  wouldn't  obey  my  right- 
ful authority." 

"I  saw  a  boy  about  a  mile  back,"  said  the  ma- 
gician, reflectively,  "a  stout,  good-looking  lad, 
dark-brown  hair,  and  a  pleasant  expression; 
didn't  look  at  all  like  you." 

"Why  should  he?  Didn't  I  say  he  was  not 
my  son?"  said  Mr.  Fox,  appearing  much  an- 
noyed. 

"I  chatted  with  him  a  while.     He  said  he 


iio6  Facing   the   World. 

was  leaving"  a  man  who  claimed  to  be  his 
guardian,  but  wasn't." 

"The  young  liar!"  ejaculated  Fox,  wrath- 
fully.     "Where  is  he  now?" 

"Is  he  in  your  wagon?"  put  in  Joel,  sharply, 

"If  he  were  you'd  see  him,  wouldn't  you?" 

"In  behind  you?" 

"Yes,  are  you  kidnaping  him?"  demanded 
Fox,  fiercely. 

"There  is  a  boy  in  the  back  of  my  wagon,'^ 
said  the  magician,  coolly.  "If  you  ain't  afraid 
of  smallpox,  you  may  see  him.  Which  shall  it 
be,  you  or  the  boy?" 

A  pallid  hue  overspread  the  face  of  John 
Fox,  which  was  increased  by  an  agonizing 
moan,  which  appeared  to  proceed  from  behind 
the  magician. 

"Turn  the  horse,  Joel !"  was  all  he  said. 

He  whipped  up  his  horse  without  a  word, 
and  did  not  pull  up  for  half  a  mile. 

"You  can  come  out  now,  Harry,"  said  the 
professor,  with  a  queer  smile.  "I  am  a  ven- 
triloquist, and  that  moan  did  the  business." 


Facing   the   World.  107 


CHAPTEE    XVI. 

ANEWENGAGEMENT. 

Harry  was  not  a  little  relieved  at  his  narrow 
escape.  He  did  not  propose  to  be  taken  cap- 
tive without  making  a  strong  resistance,  but 
still,  in  a  struggle  with  Mr.  Pox  and  Joel,  he 
felt  that  he  would  be  considerably  at  a  disad- 
vantage. 

"I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  saving  me, 
Prof.  Hemenway,"  he  said. 

"You  are  quite  welcome.  So  you  didn't  like 
old  Fox?" 

"Not  much." 

"He  doesn't  appear  to  like  you  any  better.'* 

"There  isn't  much  love  lost  between  us,"  re- 
turued  Harry,  laughing. 

"How  do  you  like  the  boy?" 

"He  served  me  a  good  turn — for  five  dollars 
■ — but  he  would  help  capture  me  for  the  same 
money,  or  less." 

"You  seem  to  know  him." 

"He  is  fond  of  money,  and  would  do  almost 
anything  for  it." 

"You  thanked  me  for  saving  you  from  cap« 
ture,  my  lad,"  continued  the  magician.  "Well, 
I  had.  an  object  in  it — a  selfish  object." 


[io8  Facing    the   World. 

!     Harry  looked  puzzled. 

I  "It  struck  me  that  I  needed  a  boy  about  your 
Rize,  and  character,  for  a  general  assistant,  to 
Bell  tickets,  take  money  and  help  me  on  the 
stage.    How  do  you  like  the  idea?" 

"I  like  it,"  answered  Harry,  "but  there  is 
one  objection." 

"What  is  that?" 

"I  don't  come  from  Madagascar,"  responded 
Harry,  slyly. 

Prof.  Hemenway  laughed. 

"You've  been  as  near  there  as  I  have,"  he 
said.  "Did  you  really  think  I  came  from  Mad- 
agascar?" 

"You  look  more  as  if  you  came  from 
Maine,  sir." 

"You've  hit  it!  That's  where  I  did  come 
from.  I  was  raised  twenty-five  miles  from 
Portland,  on  a  farm.  But  it  would  never  do 
to  put  that  on  the  bills.  People  are  ready  to 
pay  more  for  imported  than  for  native  curi- 
osities. However,  to  come  to  business.  I  had 
a  young  man  traveling  with  me,  who  wasn't 
suited  to  my  business.  He  was  a  dry-goods, 
clerk  when  I  took  him,  and  is  better  adapted 
to  that  business  than  to  mine.  He  left  me  last 
week,  and  I've  been  in  a  quandary  about  his 
successor.  How  much  do  you  consider  your 
time  worth?" 


Facing   the   World.  109' 

"Just  at  present  it  isn't  worth  much.  If 
you  will  pay  my  traveling  expenses,  that  will 
satisfy  me." 

"I  will  do  better  than  that.  I  will  give  you 
five  dollars  a  week  besides,  if  business  is  good." 

"Thank  you,  sir.  I  think  I  shall  enjoy  trav- 
eling." 

There  are  few  boys  who  do  not  like  change 
of  scene,  and  the  chance  of  seeing  new  places 
is  attractive  to  nearly  all.  Harry  was  de- 
cidedly of  opinion  that  he  had  a  streak  of  luck. 
It  would  be  much  better  in  all  ways  than  liv- 
ing with  his  late  guardians,  and  working  for 
partial  board. 

As  they  approached  the  village  of  Conway, 
Harry's  attention  was  drawn  to  a  variety  of 
posters  setting  forth,  in  mammoth  letters,  that 
the  world-renowned  Magician  of  Madagascar 
would  give  a  magical  soiree  at  the  Town  Hall 
in  the  evening.  Tickets,  fifteen  cents;  chil- 
dren under  twelve  years,  ten  cents.  The 
posters,  furthermore,  attracted  attention  by 
a  large  figure  of  the  professor,  dressed  in  bi- 
zarre style,  performing  one  of  his  tricks. 

"That  draws  attention,"  observed  the  pro- 
fessor, "particularly  among  the  boys.  I  think 
I  shall  have  a  full  hall  this  evening.  An  au- 
dience of  three  hundred  will  pay  very  well. 
My  expenses  are  light.    I  do  most  of  my  trav- 


iio  Facing   the   World. 

eling  in  this  wagoa,  and  at  hotels  I  get  the 
usual  professional  reduction." 

"Did  it  take  you  long  to  learn  the  business?"" 

"I  have  been  learning  all  along.  Every  now 
and  then  I  add  a  new  trick.  I  will  teach  you 
some." 

"I  might  leave  you  and  set  out  on  my  own 
hook  when  I  have  learned,"  suggested  Harry^ 
with  a  smile. 

"It  will  be  some  time  before  you  look  old 
enough  for  a  magician.  When  you  are  I'll 
give  you  my  blessing,  and  send  you  out." 

Meanwhile  they  had  been  jogging  along,  and 
were  already  in  the  main  street  of  Conway. 
The  professor  drew  up  in  front  of  the  village 
hotel,  and  a  groom  came  forward  and  took  his 
borse. 

"Wait  a  minute,  my  friend,"  said  the  pro- 
fessor. "Harry,  you  can  help  me  take  my  im- 
plements out  of  the  back  of  the  wagon." 

These  "implements"  were  of  a  heterogeneous 
character,  but  all  would  come  in  use  in  the 
evening.  A  number  of  boys  watched  their 
transfer  with  mingled  awe  and  curiosity. 

"What's  them?"  Harry  heard  one  ask  an- 
other, in  a  half -whispered  tone. 

"Those,"  said  the  professor,  in  an  impressive 
tone,  turning  toward  the  boys,  "those  are  para- 
phernalia !" 


Facing   the   World.  in 

The  boys  looked  more  awestruck  than  ever. 
!A11  inwardly  resolved  to  go  to  the  Town  Hall 
that  evening,  and  get  a  nearer  view  of  the  ar- 
ticles which  had  such  a  grand  name. 

After  a  while  Harry  came  downstairs  from 
the  room  assigned  to  him,  and  stood  on  the 
piazza. 

One  of  the  boys  drew  near  him  very  cau- 
tiously. 

"Are  you  the  magician's  son?"  he  asked. 

"No,"  answered  Harry,  smiling. 

"Do  you  come  from  Madagascar?" 

"I  have  not  been  there  recently." 

"Are  all  the  people  there  magicians?" 

"Not  quite  all." 

This  information  was  rather  scanty,  but  it 
was  whispered  among  the  boys,  the  first  boy- 
boasting  that  he  had  a  talk  with  the  young 
magician.  If  Harry  had  heard  himself  called 
thus,  he  would  have  been  very  much  amused. 

Directly  after  supper  Harry  went  with  his 
employer  to  assist  in  preparing  the  stage  for 
the  evening  performance.  Though  a  novice, 
he  acquitted  himself  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
employer,  who  congratulated  himself  on  hav- 
ing secured  so  efficient  an  assistant.  Half  an 
hour  before  the  performance  he  stationed  him- 
%3elf  in  the  entry,  provided  with  tickets.  He 
sat  at  a  small  table,  and  received  the  crowd. 


112  Facing   the   World. 

Though  new  to  the  business,  he  managed  to 
make  change  rapidly.  He  found  his  position 
one  in  which  he  had  a  chance  to  study  human 
nature. 

An  old  lady  entered  with  a  brutish-looking 
boy  as  large  as  Harry. 

"Gimme  a  whole  ticket  and  a  half,"  she  said, 
offering  a  quarter. 

"Who  is  the  half  ticket  for?"  asked  Hahry, 
with  a  glance  at  the  boy. 

"For  my  grandson  here.  Did  you  think 
'twas  for  me?"  demanded  the  old  lady,  aggres- 
sively. 

"Is  your  grandson  under  twelve?"  asked 
Harry,  with  a  smile. 

"Can't  you  let  him  in  for  ten  cents?" 

"I  am  sorry,  but  it's  contrary  to  orders." 

"It's  real  mean,  I  vow  'tis!  Timothy,  I 
guess  you'll  have  to  go  home." 

"No,  I  won't !"  said  the  boy.  "If  anybody's 
goin'  home,  it  ought  to  be  you,  granny.  Whati 
does  an  old  woman  like  you  want  to  see  the 
show  for,  anyway?" 

This  proposal,  however,  did  not  suit  the 
grandmother. 

"I'll  give  you  the  extra  five  cents  to-morrer," 
tshe  said,  to  Harry. 

"That  won't  do,  madam.  Please  stand  aside, 
as  others  are  waiting." 


Facing   the   World.  113 

Finally,  after  a  great  deal  of  grumbling,  the 
old  lady  managed  to  discover  a  three-cent  piece 
and  two  pennies,  which  she  tendered  to  the 
young  ticket  seller,  and  this  removed  all  diffi- 
culties. But  Timothy,  who  was  provolvcd  at 
Harry's  inflexible  refusal  to  let  him  in  for  a 
half  ticket,  launched  a  farewell  shot,  at  the 
young  financial  agent. 

"I'd  lick  you  for  a  cent !"  he  said,  scowling. 

"I  don't  allow  any  boy  under  twelve  to  lick 
me,"  returned  Harry,  quietly. 

This  answer  provoked  a  laugh  among  the 
crowd  in  the  entry,  and  Timothy,  reddening 
with  mortification,  slunk  in  after  his  grand- 
mother. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

HARRY    IN    A    NEW    ROLE. 

During  the  evening  Harry  was  called  upon 
to  assist  the  professor  in  some  of  his  tricks. 
Some  boys  would  have  been  embarrassed  upon 
finding  themselves  objects  of  general  atten- 
tion, but  Harry  was  by  temperament  cool  and 
self-possessed.  He  had  been  fond  of  declama- 
tion at  school,  and  this  had  accustomed  him, 
to  some  extent,  to  a  public  appearance. 


114  Facing   the   World. 

The  entertainment  was  in  two  parts,  witK 
an  intermission  of  ten  minutes. 
'     "I  wish  you  were  a  singer,"  said  the  pro* 
fessor,  when  they  were  standing  behind  the 
screen. 

"Why?"  asked  Harry. 

"Because  the  audience  sometimes  gets  impa- 
tient during  the  intermission.  If  I  could  put 
you  on  for  a  song,  it  would  help  quiet  them." 

"I  can  sing  a  little,"  said  Harry,  modestly. 

"What  can  you  sing?" 

"How  would  'The  Last  Kose  of  Summer' 
do?" 

"Capitally.    Can  you  sing  it?" 

"I  can  try." 

"You  are  sure  you  won't  break  down?  That 
would  make  a  bad  impression." 

"I  can  promise  you  I  won't  break  down, 
sir." 

"Then  I'll  give  you  a  trial.  Are  you  readj^ 
to  appear  at  once?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Wait,  then,  till  I  announce  you." 

The  professor  came  from  behind  the  screen, 
and,  addressing  the  audience,  said:  "Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  lest  you  should  find  the  neces" 
sary  intermission  tedious,  I  am  happy  to  an- 
nounce that  the  young  vocalist.  Master  Harry 
Vane,  has  kindly  consented  to  favor  you  withil 


Facing   the   World.  115 

one  of  his  popular  melodies.  He  has  selected^ 
by  request,  'The  Last  Eose  of  Summer.'  " 

Harry  could  hardly  refrain  from  laughing 
when  he  heard  this  introduction. 

"One  would  think  I  was  a  well-known 
singer,"  he  said  to  himself. 

He  came  forward,  and,  standing  before  the 
audience,  with  his  face  a  little  flushed,  made  a 
graceful  bow.  Then,  pausing  an  instant,  he 
commenced  the  song  announced.  He  had  not 
sung  through  two  lines  before  the  professor, 
who  waited  the  result  with  some  curiosity  and 
some  anxiety,  found  that  he  could  sing.  His 
voice  was  high,  clear  and  musical,  and  his  ren- 
dition was  absolutely  correct.  The  fact  was, 
Harry  had  taken  lessons  in  a  singing  school 
at  home,  and  had  practiced  privately  also,  so 
that  he  had  reason  to  feel  confidence  in  him- 
self. 

The  song  was  listened  to  with  earnest  atten- 
tion, and  evident  enjoyment  by  all.  When 
the  last  strain  died  away,  and  Harry  made  his 
farewell  bow,  there  was  an  enthusiastic  burst 
of  applause,  emphasized  by  the  clapping  of 
hands  and  the  stamping  of  feet. 

"You  did  yourself  proud,  my  boy !"  said  the 
gratified  professor.  "They  want  you  on 
again." 

This  seemed  evident  from  the  noise. 


ii6  Facing    the   World. 

"Can  you  sing  something  else?" 

"Very  well,  sir." 

Harry  was  certainly  pleased  with  this  evi- 
dence of  popular  favor.  He  had  never  before 
sung  a  solo  before  an  audience,  and,  although 
he  had  felt  that  he  could,  he  was  glad  to  find 
that  he  had  not  overestimated  his  powers. 

Once  more  he  stood  before  the  audience. 

"I  thank  you  for  your  kindness,"  he  said. 
'''I  will  now  sing  you  a  comic  song." 

He  sang  a  song  very  popular  at  that  time, 
the  words  and  air  of  which  were  familiar  to 
all.  While  it  did  not  afford  him  so  good  a 
chance  to  show  his  musical  capacity,  it  was 
received  with  much  greater  favor  than  the  first 
song. 

There  was  a  perfect  whirlwind  of  applause, 
and  a  third  song  was  called  for. 

"I  would  rather  not  sing  again,  professor," 
said  Harry. 

"You  needn't.  They  would  keep  you  singing 
all  the  evening  if  you  would  allow  it.  Better 
leave  off  when  they  are  unsatisfied." 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "Master 
Vane  thanks  you  for  your  kind  applause,  but 
he  makes  it  an  unvarying  rule  never  to  sing 
but  two  songs  in  an  evening.  He  never  broke 
over  that  rule  but  once,  and  that  was  at  the 
special  request  of  the  governor-general  of  Can- 


Facing   the   World.  117 

ada.  I  shall  now  have  the  pleasure  of  per- 
forming, for  your  amusement,  one  of  my  most 
popular  experiments." 

"I  wonder  when  I  sang  before  the  governor- 
general  of  Canada?"  thought  Harry,  amused. 
"My  new  employer  seems  to  be  a  man  of  vivid 
imagination." 

When  he  asked  the  professor,  after  they  re- 
turned to  the  hotel,  the  magician  answered: 
"My  dear  boy,  we  can't  get  along  without  a 
little  humbug.  The  people  like  it,  and  if  you 
don't  indulge  in  it,  you  can't  keep  up  with 
your  competitors." 

"But  suppose  that  they  find  out  that  I  was 
never  in  Canada?" 

"How  are  they  going  to  find  out?  Even  if 
they  did,  they  would  only  laugh.  You  know 
that  Barnum  has  been  a  colossal  humbug  all 
his  life,  but  everybody  likes  him,  and  he  never 
fails  to  please  the  people.  Well,  you  have 
pleased  the  people,  and  that  is  the  main  point. 
By  Jove !  my  boy,  you've  got  a  lovely  voice." 

"I  am  glad  you  think  so,  sir." 

"You  will  prove  a  very  valuable  addition  to 
my  entertainment.  I  mean  to  show  my  appre- 
ciation, too.  How  much  did  I  agree  to  give 
you?" 

"Five  dollars  a  week  if  business  was  good." 

"It's  bound  to  be  good.     I'll  raise  your 


ii8  Facing    the   World. 

wages  to  ten  dollars  a  week,  if  you'll  agree  to 
sing  one  song,  and  two,  if  called  for,  at  each 
of  my  evening  entertainments." 

"I'll  do  it,  sir,"  said  Harry,  promptly.  "It's 
a  surprise  to  me,  though,  to  find  my  voice  so 
valuable  to  me." 

"It's  a  popular  gift,  my  boy ;  and  all  popular 
gifts  are  valuable.  When  I  get  my  new  bill 
printed,  I  must  have  your  name  on  it." 

They  left  Conway  about  noon  the  next  day. 
During  the  forenoon,  Harry,  in  walking 
through  the  village  street,  found  himself  an 
object  of  attention.  Among  others,  he  met  the 
boy  whom  he  refused  to  admit  for  half  price. 

"Good-morning,"  said  Harry,  smiling. 

"Mornin'!"  answered  the  young  rustic. 
*'Say,  I  wish  I  could  sing  like  you." 

"Perhaps  you  could  if  you  tried." 

"No,  I  couldn't.  Granny  says  I've  got  a 
voice  like  a  frog." 

"Not  so  bad  as  that,  I  am  sure." 

"My  voice  is  as  good  as  hers,  anyway.  When 
did  you  sing  before  that  bigbug  the  old  man 
told  of?" 

"You  must  ask  him,"  said  Harry,  smiling. 
"It  won't  do  for  me  to  tell  tales  out  of 
school." 

"Well,  I  wish  I  could  sing  like  you.  There's 
a  gal  in  the  village  I'm  kinder  shinin'  up  to. 


Facing   the   World.  119 

I  heard  her  say  last  night  she  wished  she 
knowed  you." 

"Give  her  my  regards,  please,"  said  Harry. 
*'If  she  likes  music  you  might  learn  to  play  on 
something,  and  that  might  help  you  to  win 
her  favor." 

"I  guess  I  will.  I  can  play  on  the  jewsharp 
now." 

"I  think  the  violin  or  flute  would  do 
better." 

"You're  a  good  fellow,  after  all.  Last  night 
I  felt  like  lickin'  you." 

"It's  better  to  be  friends.  What's  your 
name?" 

"Timothy  Tompkins." 

"Then  shake  hands,  Timothy.  I  wish  you 
good  luck  with  your  girl,  and  shall  be  glad  to 
meet  you  again  some  day." 

"I  think  I  shall  be  getting  self-conceited  be- 
fore long,"  thought  Harry;  "I  certainly  never 
expected  to  become  a  public  singer.  I  wonder 
what  my  'guardeen,'  as  he  calls  himself,  would 
have  said,  if  he  had  been  in  the  audience  last 
evening." 

The  Foxes,  however,  were  destined  to  hear 
of  Harry's  success.  The  Conway  Citizen  was 
taken  in  the  family,  and,  much  to  their  aston- 
ishment, this  was  what  they  read  in  the  next 
number : 


120  Facing   the   World. 

"The  magical  entertainment  of  Prof.  Hem- 
enway,  on  Thursday  evening,  was  even  more 
successful  than  usual.  He  has  had  the  good 
fortune  to  secure  the  services  of  a  young  vo- 
calist named  Harry  Vane,  who  charmed  both 
young  and  old  by  two  popular  selections.  His 
voice  and  execution  are  admirable,  and  we  pre- 
dict for  him  a  brilliant  future." 

Mr.  Fox  read  this  aloud  in  evident  wonder 
and  excitement. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  the  like?"  he  said. 

"Who'd  have  thought  it?"  chimed  in  Mrs. 
Fox. 

"I  wonder  if  he  gets  good  pay,"  said  Joel. 
"I  say,  dad,  I  believe  that  old  feller  in  the 
wagon  was  the  magician,  and  Harry  was  in  be- 
hind. That  was  all  a  blind  about  the  small- 
pox." 

"Shouldn't  wonder  if  you  were  right,  Joel,'^ 
said  his  father.  "I  wished  I'd  knowed  the  boy 
could  sing  so  well.  I'd  have  got  up  a  concert 
and  had  him  sing.    I  might  have  made  it  pay." 

"Shall  you  try  to  get  him  back,  dad?" 

"It's  no  use  now,"  said  John  Fox,  shaking 
his  head. 


Facing   the   World.  121 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

A    LIBERAL    OFFER. 

Then  commenced  a  round  of  travel — what 
the  professor  called  a  professional  tour.  By 
day  they  traveled  in  the  wagon,  carrying  their 
paraphernalia  with  them,  stopping  at  the  prin- 
cipal towns,  and  giving  evening  entertain- 
ments. At  many  of  these  places  the  magician 
was  well  known,  and  his  tricks  were  not  new. 
But  he  had  an  attraction  in  his  young  assis- 
tant, who  was  regularly  advertised  on  his 
posters  as  the  "celebrated  young  vocalist, 
whose  songs  are  everywhere  received  with  ad- 
miring applause." 

Indeed,  this  was  very  near  the  truth. 
Harry  was  really  a  fine  singer,  and  his  fresh, 
attractive  face,  and  manly  appearance  won 
him  a  welcome  in  all  the  towns  on  their  route. 
Sometimes  a  young  girl  in  the  audience  threw 
him  a  bouquet.  This  made  him  blush  and 
smile,  and  the  donor  felt  rewarded. 

Where  was  it  going  to  end?  Was  he  to  con- 
tinue in  the  service  of  the  professor,  and  in 
time  become  himself  a  magician  and  a  travel- 
ing celebrity?  Harry  was  not  sure  about  it. 
He  saw  that  it  would  pay  him  better  than  most 


122  Facing    the   World. 

kinds  of  business,  and  he  also  discovered  that 
Prof.  Hemenway  was  even  better  off  than  he 
had  represented.  Yet,  he  was  not  quite  ready 
to  select  the  same  profession,  but,  being  only 
sixteen,  felt  that  he  could  afford  to  remain  in 
it  a  while  longer. 

One  day  the  professor  gave  him  a  surprise. 

*''Harry,"  he  said,  as  they  were  jogging  along 
a  dusty  road,  *'do  you  think  you  would  like  to 
travel?" 

"I  am  traveling  now,"  answered  Harry,  with 
a  smile. 

"True,  but  I  don't  mean  that.  Would  you 
like  to  go  on  a  long  journey?" 

"I  should  like  nothing  better,"  replied 
Harry,  promptly. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  I  have  been  thinking 
about.  I  recently  read  in  some  paper  that  a 
man  in  my  line  had  made  a  trip  to  Australia, 
and  reaped  a  rich  harvest.  Everywhere  he  was 
received  with  enthusiasm,  and  made  as  much 
money  in  one  month  as  he  would  do  here  in 
four.    Now,  why  shouldn't  I  go  to  Australia?"  | 

Harry's  eyes  sparkled. 

"It  would  be  a  fine  thing  to  do,"  he  said. 

"Then  you'll  be  willing  to  accompany  me?'^ 

"I  would  thank  you  for  taking  me,"  an- 
swered the  boy. 

"That  is  well !"  said  the  professor,  in  a  tone 


Facing   the   World.  123 

of  satisfaction.  "I  confess  I  shouldn't  like 
to  go  alone.  It  would  be  a  great  undertaking 
but,  with  a  companion,  it  would  seem  different. 
But,  is  there  anyone  who  would  object  to  your 
going?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Harry,  smiling,  "Mr.  Fox, 
my  'guardeen,'  would." 

"We  won't  mind  Mr.  Fox.  Very  well,  then, 
Harry,  we  will  consider  it  settled.  I  shall  rely 
on  you  to  help  me  by  singing  there  as  you  do 
here.  As  to  your  wages,  I  may  be  able  to  pay 
you  more." 

"Never  mind  about  that,  professor.  It  will 
cost  you  a  good  deal  to  get  us  there.  I  am  per- 
fectly willing  to  work  for  the  same  sum  I  do 
BOW,  or  even  less,  on  account  of  the  extension 
of  the  trip." 

"Then  you  leave  that  matter  to  me.  I  won't 
take  advantage  of  your  confidence,  but  you 
shall  prosper  if  I  do." 

"How  soon  do  you  propose  to  go,  professor?" 
asked  Harry,  with  interest. 

"As  soon  as  possible.  I  shall  ascertain  when 
the  first  packet  leaves  Boston,  and  take  passage 
in  her." 

The  professor's  decision  pleased  Harry.  He 
had  been  a  good  scholar  in  geography — indeed, 
it  was  his  favorite  study — and  had,  besides, 
read  as  many  books  of  travel  as  he  could  lay 


124  Facing    the   World. 

hands  on.  Often  he  had  wondered  whether  it 
would  ever  be  his  fortune  to  see  some  of  the 
distant  countries  of  which  he  read  with  so 
much  interest.  Though  he  had  cherished  vague 
hopes,  he  had  never  really  expected  it.  Now, 
however,  the  unattainable  seemed  within  his 
grasp.  He  would  not  have  to  wait  till  he  was 
a  rich  man,  but  when  still  a  boy  he  could  travel 
to  the  opposite  side  of  the  world,  paying  his 
expenses  as  he  went  along. 

Two  weeks  passed.  Each  day  they  halted  in 
some  new  place,  and  gave  an  evening  perfornor 
ance.  This  life  of  constant  motion  had,  at 
first,  seemed  strange  to  Harry.  Now  he  was 
acGustomed  to  it.  He  never  felt  nervous  when 
he  appeared  before  an  audience  to  sing,  but 
looked  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  course. 

At  last  they  reached  Boston.  They  were  to 
give  two  entertainments  at  a  hall  at  the  south 
end.  It  was  the  first  large  city  in  which  Harry 
had  sung,  but  he  received  a  welcome  no  less 
cordial  than  that  accorded  to  him  in  country 
towns. 

They  were  staying  at  a  modest  hotel,  com- 
fortable, but  not  expensive.  Harry  was  sitting 
in  the  reading  room,  when  a  servant  brought 
in  a  card.  It  bore  the  rather  remarkable  name 
Of 

"Db.  Mendelssohn  Brown." 


Facing   the   World.  125 

"A  gentleman  to  see  you,  Mr.  Vane,"  said 
the  servant. 

Harry  rose  and  surveyed  the  stranger  in 
some  surprise.  He  had  long  hair,  of  a  red- 
dish yellow,  with  an  abundant  beard  of  the 
same  hue.  His  suit  of  worn  black  fitted  him 
poorly,  but  Dr.  Brown  evidently  was  not  a 
devotee  of  dress.  No  tailor  would  ever  point 
to  him,  and  say  with  pride:  "That  man's 
clothes  were  made  at  my  shop." 

"Do  I  speak  to  Mr.  Harry  Vane,  the  young 
vocalist?"  asked  the  stranger,  with  a  deferen- 
tial smile. 

"That's  my  name,"  answered  our  hero. 

"You  are  alone?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Harry,  a  little  puzzled. 

"It  is  well.  I  will  come  to  business  at  once. 
You  have  probably  heard  of  me,  eh?" 

"Probably  I  have,  but  I  do  not  remember 
names  well." 

"The  name  of  Mendelssohn  Brown  is  pretty 
well  known,  I  flatter  myself,"  said  the  visi- 
tor, complacently.  "To  be  brief — I  heard  you 
sing  last  evening,  and  was  much  pleased  with 
your  vocal  organ," 

Harry  bowed. 

"I  am  about  to  form  a  juvenile  Pinafore  com- 
pany, and  would  like  to  have  you  take  the 
leading  part.    You  would  make  an  excellent 


126  Facing   the   World. 

Admiral.  I  propose  to  take  my  opera  company 
all  over  the  United  States.  I  should  be  will- 
ing to  pay  you,  as  the  star  performer,  twenty- 
five  dollars  a  week." 

Harry  opened  his  eyes  in  amazement. 

"Do  you  think  me  capable  of  singing  in 
opera?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  after  being  trained  by  your  humble 
servant.    What  do  you  say?" 

"I  thank  you  for  your  flattering  offer,  Dr. 
Brown,  but  I  don't  feel  at  liberty  to  leave  Prof. 
Hemenway." 

The  doctor  frowned. 

"Let  me  tell  you,  you  stand  in  your  own 
light,  Mr.  Vane,"  he  said,  impatiently.  "There 
is  some  difference  between  a  common  juggler, 
like  the  Magician  of  Madagascar" — the  doctor 
laughed  ironically — "and  a  well-known  musi- 
cal director  who  could  make  you  famous. 
Does  Hemenway  pay  you  as  much  as  I 
offer?" 

"No,  sir." 

"I  thought  so.  Then  how  can  you  hesi- 
tate?" 

"We  are  about  to  make  an  Australian  tour," 
answered  Harry,  "and,  apart  from  all  other 
considerations,  I  am  glad  I  have  a  chance  to 
travel." 

"Couldn't  you  put  it  off  ?" 


Facing   the   World.  127 

*^o,  sir." 

"Then,"  said  Dr.  Brown,  rather  crestfallen, 
"I  can  only  bid  you  good-morning.  I  think 
you  are  making  a  mistake." 

"Perhaps,  after  I  return  from  Australia,  I 
may  be  ready  to  accept  your  cler." 

"It  will  be  too  late,"  said  the  doctor,  gloom- 

iiy. 

"Twenty-five  dollars  a  week  is  large  pay," 
thought  Harry,  "but  I  don't  believe  I  should 
ever  get  it.  Dr.  Brown  doesn't  look  like  a 
capitalist." 

Half  an  hour  later,  Prof.  Hemenway  en- 
tered the  hotel. 

"Well,  my  boy,"  he  said,  "the  die  is  cast! 
Next  Saturday  we  sail  from  Long  Wharf, 
bound  for  Australia." 

"But,  professor,  I  have  just  had  an  offer  of 
twenty-five  dollars  a  week  to  sing  in  Pina- 
fore." 

"And  have  accepted!"  exclaimed  the  magi- 
cian, in  dismay. 

"No;  I  respectfully  declined.  I  would  ra- 
ther go  with  you." 

"You  shan't  regret  it,  Harry !"  said  the  pro- 
fessor, relieved.  "If  I  am  prosperous  you  shall 
share  in  my  prosperity." 

"Thank  you,  professor;  I  am  sure  of  that. 
[What  is  the  name  of  our  vessel?" 


128  Facing   the   World. 

"The  'Nantucket.  It's  a  good,  solid-looking 
craft,  and  I  think  it  will  bear  us  in  safety  to 
our  destination." 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE    PASSENGERS. 

The  Nantucket,  Capt.  Jabez  Hill,  master, 
was  a  large  vessel,  stanch  and  strong,  and  bore 
a  good  record,  having  been  in  service  six  years, 
and  never  having  in  that  time  met  a  serious 
disaster.  It  was  a  sailing  vessel,  and  primarily 
intended  to  convey  freight,  but  had  accommo- 
dations for  six  passengers.  Of  these  it  had  a 
full  complement.  Harry  and  the  professor  I 
same  first,  as  those  in  whom  we  are  most  inter- 
ested. 

Next  came  John  Appleton,  a  business  man 
from  Melbourne,  who  had  visited  the  United 
States  on  business.  He  was  a  plain,  substan- 
tial-looking person,  of  perhaps  forty-five.  Next 
came  Montgomery  Clinton,  from  Brooklyn,  a 
young  man  of  twenty-four,  foppishly  attired, 
who  wore  an  eyeglass  and  anxiously  aped  the 
London  swell,  though  born  within  sight  of 
Boston  State  House.     Harry  regarded  him 


Facing   the   World.  129 

with  considerable  amusement,  and  though  he 
treated  him  with  outward  respect,  mentally 
Toted  him  very  soft.  Fifth  on  the  list  was  a 
tall,  sallow,  thin  individual,  with  a  melan- 
choly countenance,  who  was  troubled  with  nu- 
merous symptoms,  and  was  persuaded  that  he 
had  not  long  to  live.  He  was  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  carried  with  him  in  his  trunk  a 
large  assortment  of  pills  and  liquid  medicines, 
one  or  another  of  which  he  took  about  once  an 
hour.  This  gentleman's  name  was  Marmaduke 
Timmins.  Last  came  a  tall,  lean  Yankee,  the 
discoverer  and  proprietor  of  a  valuable  inven- 
tion, which  it  was  his  purpose  to  introduce  into 
Australia.  Mr.  Jonathan  Stubbs,  for  this  was 
his  name,  was  by  no  means  an  undesirable  ad* 
dition  to  the  little  circle,  and  often  excited  & 
smile  by  his  quaint  and  shrewd  observations. 

It  was  the  third  day  at  sea,  when  Harry, 
who  had  suffered  but  little  from  seasickness, 
came  on  deck,  after  a  good  dinner,  and  saw  the 
dudish  passenger,  till  now  invisible,  holding 
himself  steady  with  an  effort,  and  gazing  sadly 
upon  the  wild  waste  of  waters  without  the 
help  of  his  eyeglass. 

"How  do  you  feel,  Mr.  Clinton?"  asked 
Harry. 

"Horribly,  Mr.  Vane,"  answered  Clinton, 
with  a  languid  shudder.    "I  never  thought  it 


130  Facing    the   World. 

was  such  a  bore,  crossing  the  ocean,  don't  you 
know.  IVe  a  great  idea  of  offering  the  cap- 
tain a  handsome  sum  to  land  me  somewhere^ 
I  don't  care  much  where." 

"I  don't  think  we  shall  go  near  any  land,  Mr. 
Clinton.  I  think  you  will  have  to  make  the 
best  of  it." 

"There  isn't  any  best,  Mr.  Vane.  Really,  I 
give  you  my  word,  it  has  taken  away  all  my 
ambition.  I  don't  even  care  for  my  looks. 
You  won't  believe  it,  but  I  haven't  shaved  since 
I  came  on  board.  Couldn't  do  it,  don't  you 
know.  My  face  feels  horribly  rough.  If  this 
goes  on  I  shall  soon  look  like  a  tramp." 

Harry  surveyed  the  smooth,  vacant  counte- 
nance of  his  fellow  passenger,  but  could  not 
discover  the  stubbly  beard  which  it  might  have 
been  expected  to  show. 

"I  look  horrid,  now,  don't  I?"  drawled 
Clinton. 

"I  shouldn't  know  but  you  had  shaved  this 
morning,"  said  Harry,  bluntly. 

"You  are  very  kind,  I'm  sure,"  lisped  the 
dude,  "but  I  know  I  am  a  sight  to  behold.  If 
there  were  any  ladies  on  board,  I  should  be 
dreadfully  mortified,  I  give  you  my  word." 

"I  haven't  shaved  myself  since  I  came 
aboard,"  said  Harry,  gravely.  "Would  you 
notice  it?" 


Facing   the   World.  131 

"Well,  no,  I  don't  think  I  should,"  answered 
Clinton,  after  a  scrutinizing  look. 

"Thank  you,"  said  Harry,  appearing  re- 
lieved; "but  perhaps  that  is  because  you  have 
not  your  eyeglass  with  you." 

"On  my  honor,  your  face  looks  very  clean. 
You  are  only  a  boy,  you  know." 

"How  does  it  happen  that  you  are  making  a 
sea  voyage,  Mr.  Clinton?" 

Montgomery  Clinton  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

"You  touch  a  tender  chord,  Mr.  Vane,"  he 
replied.  "If  I  tell  you  it  must  be  in  strict  con- 
fidence." 

"You  can  depend  on  me." 

"Then  I  don't  mind  telling  you.  It  is  a  re- 
lief to  confide  in  a  friend.  It  is  because  my 
heart  is  broken,  Mr.  Vane." 

"Indeed !  May  I  ask  how  long  it  has  been 
in  that  condition?"  asked  Harry,  with  com- 
mendable gravity. 

"Ever  since  I  left  Blanche  Devere  at  Sara- 
toga. She's  a  daisy,  Mr.  Vane,  if  ever-  there 
was  one.    I  got  mashed  on  her  directly." 

"Did  she  return  your  affection,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton?" 

"I  think  she  did,"  said  Clinton,  pensively. 
"She  always  smiled  when  she  saw  me. 
Wouldn't  you  regard  that  as  encouraging?^' 

"It  seems  like  it,"  answered  Harry,  gravely, 


132  Facing    the   World. 

though  he  could  imagine  another  reason  for 
smiling. 

"One  day  I  proposed  to  Blanche.  She  hesi- 
tated and  appeared  agitated.  Then  she  told 
me  she  had  a  cousin,  a  military  officer,  who 
was  desperately  in  love  with  her,  and  had 
threatened  to  shoot  anyone  else  who  offered 
her  attentions.  She  said  she  expected  him  the 
next  day,  and  said  she  hoped  no  one  would  tell 
him  of  my  attentions." 

"What  did  you  do,  Mr.  Clinton?" 

"I  left  Saratoga  that  night,  Mr.  Vane,"  an- 
swered Clinton,  sadly,  "but  my  heart  was 
broken.  I  decided  to  make  a  sea  voyage,  hop- 
ing it  would  help  me,  but  I  didn't  know  the  sea 
was  so  beastly  horrid.  I  think  I  shall  die, 
don't  you  know." 

Hearing  a  step  behind  him,  Harry  turned, 
and  his  eye  rested  on  the  melancholy  counte- 
nance of  Marmaduke  Timmins,  the  chronic  in- 
valid. 

"Good-morning,  Mr.  Timmins,"  said  our 
hero.     "I  hope  you  stand  the  voyage  well." 

"I've  had  several  new  symptoms  since  I 
came  on  board,"  responded  Mr.  Timmins, 
gloomily,  "and  I've  made  a  dreadful  discov- 
ery." 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  Montgomery  Clin-« 
ton,  in  alarm. 


Facing   the   World.  :i33 

**I  find  I've  mislaid  or  forgotten  to  bring  my 
box  of  Eemedial  pills.  I  don't  know  what  I 
shall  do  without  them." 

"I've  got  a  box  of  Brandeth's  pills  down- 
stairs," said  Clinton.  "You're  welcome  to  part 
of  them,  I'm  sure." 

"They  wouldn't  do !  What  can  you  be  think- 
ing of,  young  man?  Do  you  think  there's  no 
difference  between  pills?" 

"I'm  sure  I  can't  tell,  don't  you  know!" 

"Young  man,  you  are  sadly  ignorant,"  said 
Timmins,  severely.  "I've  got  five  other  kinds 
of  pills  downstairs,  for  diiferent  maladies  I 
am  subject  to,  but  none  of  them  will  take  the 
place  of  Eemedial  pills." 

"Will  any  of  them  cure  seasickness?"  asked 
the  dude,  eagerly. 

"I  can  give  you  a  remedy  for  seasickness, 
Mr.  Clinton,"  said  Mr.  Holdfast,  the  mate, 
"who  chanced  to  overhear  the  inquiry. 

"What  is  it,  Mr.  Holdfast?  I  shall  be  really 
grateful,  I  assure  you,  if  you  can  cure  that 
beastly  malady." 

"Swallow  a  piece  of  raw,  salt  pork  about  an 
inch  square,"  said  the  mate,  gravely,  "and  fol- 
low it  up  by  a  glass  of  sea  water,  taken  at  a 
gulp." 

"That's  horrid,  awfully  horrid!"  gasped 
Clinton,  shuddering,  and  looking  very  pale^ 


134  Facing   the   World. 

''It  actually  makes  me  sick  to  think  of  it,  don't 
you  know,"  and  he  retreated  to  the  cabin, 
with  one  hand  pressed  on  his  stomach. 

"That  young  man's  a  fool!"  said  Mr.  Tim- 
mins.  "He  knows  no  more  of  pills  than  a 
baby." 

"Nor  do  I,  Mr.  Timmins,"  said  Harry,  smil- 
ing. 

"I  pity  you,  then.  My  life  has  been  saved 
several  times  by  pills." 

"I'd  rather  live  without  them." 

Marmaduke  shook  his  head  as  he  walked 
away. 

"That  man's  a  walking  drug  store,"  said  the 
mate,  looking  after  him.  "I'd  rather  go  to 
Davy's  locker,  and  be  done  with  it,  than  fill 
myself  up  with  pills  and  potions." 

"You're  looking  chipper,  my  boy,"  said  a 
newcomer,  in  a  nasal  voice.  "Haven't  been 
seasick,  I  guess." 

Harry  recognized  the  voice  of  the  Yankee 
inventor,  Mr.  Jonathan  Stubbs. 

"No,  sir;  I  have  had  very  little  trouble." 

"I'm  goin'  to  get  up  a  cure  for  seasickness 
when  I  have  time — a  kind  of  a  self-acting,  au- 
tomatic belt — I  guess  there's  money  in  it." 

"It  would  be  a  great  blessing,  Mr.  Stubbs. 
Poor  Mr.  Clinton  would  no  doubt  be  glad  to 
buy  it." 


Facing   the   World.  135 

"Do  you  mean  that  languishin'  creetur  with 
an  eyeglass  and  spindle  legs?  What  are  such 
fellows  made  for?" 

"Eather  for  ornament  than  use,"  answered 
Harry,  gravely. 

The  Yankee  burst  into  a  loud  guffaw,  and 
regarded  Harry's  remark  a  capital  joke. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

A    CLOUD    IN    THE    SKY. 

The  voyage  was  to  be  a  long  one,  and  after 
a  couple  of  weeks  all  had  their  sea  legs  on.  All 
had  become  acquainted,  and  settled  down  to 
a  regular  routine.  But  the  time  dragged,  and 
as  there  were  no  morning  or  evening  papers, 
something  seemed  necessary  to  break  up  the 
monotony. 

"Harry," said  the  professor,"!  have  an  idea." 

"What  is -it,  professor?" 

"Suppose  we  give  an  exhibition  for  the  bene- 
fit of  our  fellow  passengers  and  the  crew." 

"Why  do  you  say  we,  professor?" 

"Because  I  shall  want  you  to  assist  me,  as 
you  did  on  shore." 

"I  am  ready  to  do  my  part." 

"Then  I  shall  speak  to  the  captain." 


[136  Facing   the   World. 

The  result  was  that  on  the  first  quiet  day 
I*rof .  Hemenway  and  his  assistant  gave  a  mat- 
m6e  performance  on  the  deck  of  the  Nan- 
tucket,  at  Avhich  all  who  could  possibly  be 
spared  were  present.  To  some  of  the  sailors  it 
was  a  novelty,  and  the  magician's  mysterious 
tricks  actually  inspired  some  with  the  feeling 
that  he  was  possessed  of  supernatural  powers. 

"Will  you  lend  me  your  hat,  Mr.  Clinton?" 
he  asked,  presently,  of  the  dude. 

"Certainly,  professor,"  drawled  the  young 
man. 

The  professor  took  it,  and  tapped  it. 

"Are  you  sure  there  is  nothing  in  it?"  he 
asked. 

"I  am  sure  of  it.  Eeally,  I  don't  carry  things 
in  my  hat,  don't  you  know." 

"What  do  you  say  to  this,  then?"  and  Prof. 
Hemenway  drew  out  of  the  hat  half  a  dozen 
onions,  a  couple  of  potatoes,  and  a  ship  bis- 
cuit. 

"My  dear  sir,  I  think  you  are  mistaken,"  he 
said.  "I  see  you  carry  your  lunch  in  your 
hat." 

All  present  laughed  at  the  horrified  face  of 
the  dude. 

"On  my  honor,  I  don't  know  how  those 
horrid  things  came  in  my  hat,"  he  stam- 
mered. 


Facing   the   World.  137 

"Are  you  fond  of  onions,  Mr.  Clinton?'" 
asked  Harry,  gravely. 

"I  wouldn't  eat  one  for — for  a  new  suit  of 
clothes!"  protested  Clinton,  earnestly. 

"Allow  me  to  return  your  hat,  Mr.  Clinton," 
said  the  professor,  politely.  "I  suppose  you 
want  the  vegetables,  too.  Here  are  the  onions 
and  the  rest." 

"They  are  not  mine,  on  my  honor,"  said 
Clinton,  very  much  embarrassed.  "Here,  my 
good  man,  can  you  make  use  of  these?" 

The  sailor  whom  he  addressed  accepted  the 
gift  with  a  grin. 

"Thank  you  kindly,  sir,"  he  said,  "if  so  be 
as  I  ain't  a  robbin'  you." 

"I  have  no  use  for  them,  my  good  man.  I 
never  ate  an  onion  in  my  life." 

"Then  I  don't  think  you  know  what's  good," 
said  Mr.  Stubbs.  "An  onion,  let  me  tell  you, 
is  mighty  good  eatin',  and  healthy,  too." 

At  the  close  of  the  magical  entertainment, 
Harry  sang  by  request,  and  no  part  of  the  per- 
formance was  more  popular.  He  received 
many  congratulations. 

"Really,  Mr.  Vane,  you  sing  like  a  nightin- 
gale, don't  you  know,"  was  Clinton's  tribute. 

"Bless  me!"  said  Mr.  Timmins;  "I  was  so 
absorbed  in  your  song  that  I  have  forgotten 
to  take  my  catarrh  medicine." 


138  Facing    the   World. 

"Thank  you,  sir;  that  is  the  best  compli- 
ment I  have  ever  received,"  returned  Harry, 
with  a  smile. 

Mr.  Timmins  did  not  hear  him.  He  was  al- 
ready halfway  downstairs,  in  haste  to  repair 
his  omission. 

Little  has  been  said  thus  far  of  Capt.  Hilly 
the  chief  officer  of  the  Nantucket.  He  was  a 
stout,  red-faced  seaman,  nearing  fifty  years 
of  age,  and  had  been  in  service  ever  since  he 
was  fifteen.  He  was  a  thorough  sailor,  and 
fitted  in  every  way  but  one  to  take  charge  of 
a  ship  bound  to  any  part  of  the  world.  His 
one  disqualification  may  be  stated  briefly — 
he  had  a  passion  for  drink. 

It  was  not  immediately  that  this  was  found 
out.  He  took  his  meals  with  the  passengers, 
but  it  was  not  then  that  he  indulged  his  appe- 
tite. 

He  kept  a  private  store  of  liquors  in  his 
cabin,  and  had  recourse  to  them  when  by  him- 
self, under  the  impression  that  he  could  keep  it 
a  secret.  But  intemperance,  like  murder,  will 
out. 

Harry  and  the  professor  were  standing  by 
the  rail  looking  out  to  sea,  one  day,  when  a 
thick  voice  greeted  them,  "Good-morn'n',  gen- 
tlemen," this  address  being  followed  by  a  hie- 
cough. 


Facing    the   World.  139 

Both  turned  quickly  and  exchanged  a  sig- 
nificant glance  when  they  recognized  the  cap- 
tain. 

"Yes,"  answered  Prof.  Hemenway,  "it  is  in- 
deed a  fine  morning." 

"That's  what  I  shay,"  responded  the  cap- 
tain, in  a  combative  tone,  "and  what  I  shay 
I  mean." 

Prof.  Hemenway  answered  him  in  a  con- 
ciliatory way,  and  shortly  after  the  captain  re- 
sumed his  march,  plainly  unsteady  on  his 
legs. 

"I  am  sorry  to  see  this,  Harry,"  said  the 
professor,  gravely. 

"Yes,  sir ;  it  is  a  pity  any  gentleman  should 
drink  too  much." 

"Yes,  but  that  isn't  all,"  said  the  professor, 
earnestly;  "it  is  a  pity,  of  course,  that  Capt. 
Hill  should  so  sin  against  his  own  health,  but 
we  must  consider,  furthermore,  that  he  has  our 
lives  under  his  control.  Our  safety  depends  on 
his  prudent  management." 

"He  seems  to  understand  his  business,"  said 
Harry. 

^Granted;  but  no  man,  however  good  a  sea- 
man, is  fit  to  manage  a  vessel  when  he  allows 
liquor  to  rob  him  of  his  senses.  I  wish  I  had 
known  beforehand  the  captain's  infirmity." 

"Suppose  you  had,  sir?" 


140  Facing    the   World. 

"I  wouldn't  have  trusted  myself  on  board  the 
"Nantucket,  you  may  be  sure  of  that." 

"It  may  be  only  an  exceptional  case." 

"Let  us  hope  so." 

This  happened  when  they  were  a  week  out. 
It  must  be  stated  that  the  captain  did  not,  for 
a  long  time,  expose  himself  to  observation 
again  when  under  the  influence  of  his  pota- 
tions. Yet  that  he  still  continued  them  was 
evident  enough  from  his  appearance.  There  are 
certain  indications  that  may  be  read  in  the  face 
of  an  intemperate  man  by  anyone  of  experi- 
ence, and  these  convinced  not  only  the  profes- 
sor, but  others,  that  Capt.  Hill  drank  every 
day. 

The  next  occasion  on  which  the  captain  dis- 
played his  infirmity  was  rather  a  laughable 
one.  He  came  up  from  the  cabin  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  so  full  that  he  was 
forced  to  stagger  as  he  walked.  Directly  in 
front  of  him  the  young  dude,  Montgomery 
Clinton,  was  pacing  the  deck,  carrying  in  his 
hand  a  rattan  cane  such  as  he  used  on  shore. 
As  he  overhauled  him,  Capt.  Hill,  with  the  in- 
stinct of  a  drunken  man,  locked  arms  with  the 
young  man,  and  forced  him  to  promenade  in 
his  company,  talking  rather  incoherently 
meanwhile.  Clinton's  look  of  distress  and 
perplexity,  as  he  submitted  to  his  fate,  caused 


Facing   the   World.  1411 

Harry  nearly  to  explode  with  laughter.    They; 
were  indeed  a  singular  pair. 

Finally  there  came  a  disaster.  A  lurch  of 
the  vessel  proved  too  much  for  the  captain, 
who,  in  losing  his  equilibrium,  also  upset  Clin- 
ton, and  the  two  rolled  down  under  one  of  the 
ship's  boats,  which  was  slung  up  on  one  side. 

Montgomery  Clinton  picked  himself  up,  and 
hurriedly  betook  himself  to  his  cabin,  fearing 
that  he  might  fall  again  into  the  clutches  of 
his  unwelcome  companion.  The  captain  was 
helped  to  his  feet  by  the  mate,  and  was  per- 
suaded also  to  go  downstairs. 

"The  captain  was  pretty  well  slewed,  pro- 
fessor," said  Mr.  Stubbs,  who  chanced  to  be 
on  deck  at  the  time. 

"It  looks  like  it,"  answered  Prof.  Hemen- 
way,  gravely. 

"If  he  does  that  often  it'll  be  a  bad  lookout 
for  us." 

"Just  what  I  am  thinking,  Mr.  Stubbs.    I 
wish  we  could  do  something  about  it.     I  feel 
that  our  lives  may  be  in  peril  from  this  unfor- 
'tunate  weakness  of  the  chief  officer." 

"I've  a  great  mind  to  speak  to  Capt.  Hill 
about  it.  He  ought  to  have  his  duty  set  before 
him." 

"If  you  don't  object,  it  may  be  advisable  to 
do  so,  Mr.  Stubbs." 


!I42  Facing   the   World. 

Jonathan  Stubbs,  who  was  a  very  free- 
sfpoken  person,  took  an  early  occasion  to  carry 
out  his  plan,  but  with  ill  success.  Capt.  Hill 
became  furiously  angry,  vowed  that  Stubbs 
had  insulted  him ;  that  he  had  never  drunk  too 
much  in  his  life,  and  threatened  to  put  him 
IB  irons  if  he  repeated  the  offense. 

Mr.  Stubbs  was  not  frightened,  but  saw  that 
further  remonstrance  would  be  unavailing.  He 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  walked  away. 

"There's  no  arguing  with  a  fool  or  a  drunk- 
ard," he  said  to  the  professor. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

THE     YOUNG     SAILOE. 

The  crew  of  the  Nantuchet  consisted  of 
twelve  sailors  and  a  boy,  not  counting  the 
officers.  This  boy  was  about  Harry's  age,  but 
an  inch  or  two  shorter,  and  with  great  breadtli 
of  shoulders.  He  had  a  good-natured  face,  and 
was  a  general  favorite  on  board,  as  is  apt  to 
be  the  case  with  a  boy,  if  he  possesses  any  at- 
tractive qualities.  He  came  from  New  Hamp- 
shire and  he  was  known  as  Jack. 

It  was  natural  that  Harry,  as  the  only  other 


Facing   the   World.  143 

boy  on  board,  though  a  passenger,  should  be 
attracted  to  Jack.  He  took  an  opportunity 
when  Jack  was  off  duty  to  have  a  chat  with 
him. 

"How  long  have  you  been  a  sailor,  Jack?" 
he  asked. 

"Three  years ;  I  first  went  to  sea  when  I  was 
thirteen." 

"How  did  you  happen  to  go  in  the  first 
place?" 

"Well,  you  see,  Mr.  Vane " 

"Call  me  Harry.  I  am  only  a  boy,  like  your- 
self." 

"So  I  will,  if  you  don't  mind.  Well,  Harry, 
I  may  say,  to  begin  with,  that  I  always  liked 
the  water.  I  was  born  in  a  little  village  border- 
ing on  Lake  Winnipiseogee,  and  was  out  on 
the  lake  whenever  I  could  get  the  chance,  either 
in  a  rowboat  or  a  sailboat.  I  felt  as  much  at 
home  on  the  water  as  on  the  land.  Still,  I 
never  should  have  gone  to  sea  but  for  my 
stepfather." 

"Then  you  have  a  stepfather?" 

"Yes.  My  father  died  when  I  was  ten,  leav- 
ing my  mother  a  little  farm  and  a  comfortable 
house.  I  was  a  young  boy,  and  it  is  hard  for 
a  woman  to  carry  on  a  farm.  A  man  came  into 
town,  and  started  in  some  small  business.  He 
pretended  that  he  had  money,  but  I  guess  he 


144  Facing   the   World. 

had  precious  little.  At  any  rate,  he  didn't  ob- 
j  ject  to  more.  Pretty  soon  he  fixed  his  eyes  on 
I  our  farm,  and,  finding  that  mother  owned  it 
clear,  he  got  to  coming  round  pretty  often.  I 
never  liked  him,  though  he  pretended  to  be 
fond  of  me,  and  used  to  pat  me  on  the  head, 
and  bring  me  candy.  I  wondered  what  made 
him  come  so  often,  but  I  didn't  mistrust  any- 
thing till  one  day  mother  called  me  and  said 
she  had  something  important  to  say  to  me. 

"  'Jack,'  she  said,  'what  do  you  think  of  Mr. 
Bannock?' 

"  'I  don't  think  much  of  him,'  I  answered ; 
'what  makes  him  come  here  so  often?" 

"  'He's  going  to  come  here  oftener,'  she  said, 
looking  displeased. 

"  'Then  he  might  as  well  board  here,' 
said  I. 

"  'He's  going  to  live  here,'  answered  mother. 

"  'What's  that  for?'  I  asked,  still  not  dream- 
ing of  the  truth.  But  it  all  came  out  in  a  min- 
ute when  she  said:  'He  is  to  be  your  father, 
Jack.    I  have  promised  to  marry  him.' 

"  'You  may  marry  him,'  I  answered,  hotly, 
'but  he  will  be  no  father  of  mine.  My  father 
lies  in  the  churchyard.  I  wish  he  were  alive 
again.' 

"  'So  do  I,  Jack,'  said  mother,  wiping  her 
eyes,  'but  we  know  that  it  can't  be.' 


Facing    the    World.  145 

"  *What  makes  you  marry  again,  mother?'  I 
asked. 

"  'I  need  someone  to  look  after  me  and  the 
farm,  Jack,'  said  mother.  ^A  woman  has  a 
hard  lot  when  she  is  alone.' 

"  'Wait  till  I  am  old  enough,  and  I  will  take 
care  of  the  farm,  mother.  Don't  marry  that 
man!'  I  pleaded.  'What  does  he  know  of 
farming  anyway?     He  keeps  a  store.' 

"  'His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  he  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm,'  answered  mother. 

"Well,  I  teased  and  teased  her  not  to  marry 
Mr.  Bannock,  but  it  was  no  use.  She  had  given 
her  promise,  and  her  mind  was  made  up.  It 
wasn't  long  before  the  wedding,  which  I 
wouldn't  attend,  and  mother  became  Mrs.  Ban- 
nock. It  wasn't  long  before  old  Bannock 
showed  himself  up  in  his  true  colors.  It  turned 
out  that  he  was  worth  scarcely  nothing. 
Though  the  farm  was  still  mother's,  he  got  her 
to  agree  to  have  a  mortgage  placed  on  it,  and 
the  money  he  put  into  his  business." 

"How  did  he  treat  you,  Jack?"  asked  Harry, 
interested. 

"I  am  coming  to  that.  He  never  liked  me, 
especially  when  he  found  I  didn't  attend  the 
w^edding,  and  didn't  like  him  at  all.  He  tried 
to  impose  upon  me,  and  order  me  round,  but 
he  didn't  make  out  much.    Still,  he  was  always 


146  Facing   the   World. 

annoying  me  in  mean  little  ways,  and  finally  I 
got  all  I  could  stand,  and  the  long  and  short 
of  it  is,  that  I  ran  away  to  Portsmouth,  and 
went  on  a  coasting  voyage.  After  I  got  back 
I  shipped  from  Boston  for  Liverpool,  and  ever 
since  I've  kept  sailing  in  one  direction  or  an- 
other.   This  will  be  my  longest  voyage." 

"Haven't  you  been  to  see  your  mother  since 
you  left  home  three  years  ago?"  Harry  in- 
quired. 

"Of  course  I  have,"  said  Jack,  promptly.  "I 
always  go  to  see  her  as  soon  as  I  get  home 
from  a  voyage." 

"Do  you  ever  see  your  stepfather?" 

"I  have  seen  him  twice.  Once  he  was  out  of 
town,  and  I  wasn't  sorry," 

"Has  he  ever  tried  to  detain  you?" 

"No.  The  fact  is,"  said  Jack,  laughing,  "I 
expect  he  was  very  well  content  to  be  rid  of 
jne.  He  made  up  his  mind  that  I  was  a  pretty 
hard  boy  for  him  to  manage.  There's  only  one 
reason  why  I  should  like  to  be  at  home." 

"What  is  that?" 

"So  that  I  could  stand  between  my  mother 
and  that  man,"  said  Jack,  gravely. 

"I  hope  he  doesn't  ill-treat  her." 

"He  doesn't  strike  her,  if  that's  what  you 
mean.  I'd  like  to  see  him  do  it!"  exclaimed 
Jack,  with  flashing  eyes. 


i  Facing   the   World.  j^y 

"But  he  teases  her,  and  has  his  own  way 
in  everything,  but  she  won't  allow  anyone  to 
interfere.  Poor  mother !  She  was  looking  pale 
and  thin  when  I  saw  her  three  weeks  ago.  I 
am  sure  she  has  repented  marrying,  but  she 
won't  own  up.    When  I'm  a  man " 

"Well,  Jack;  when  you're  a  man?"  asked 
Harry. 

"I'll  see  that  she  has  a  better  time,  and,  if 
old  Bannock  don't  like  it  he  can  clear  out.  I 
think  he  will,  anyway." 

"Clear  out?" 

"Yes ;  he  will  have  spent  all  the  property  by 

that  time,  and  when  that  is  done,  he  won't 

^make  much  objection  to  going  away.    Then  I 

will  take  care  of  mother,  and  see  that  she  does 

not  suffer  for  anything." 

"You  are  right,  Jack.  I  sympathize  with 
you.  I  hope  you'll  succeed.  I  only  wish  I  had 
a  mother  to  look  out  for,"  and  Harry's  fine 
face  wore  an  expression  of  sadness.  "But 
there's  one  thing  I  can't  help  saying,  though 
I  don't  want  to  discourage  you."     - 

"What  is  that,  Harry?" 

"I  don't  see  how  you  are  going  to  lay  up 
much  money  in  going  before  the  mast.  Your 
pay  must  be  small." 

"It  is.  I  only  earn  ten  dollars  a  month," 
replied  Jack. 


148  Facing   the   World. 

"And  out  of  that  you  must  buy  youf 
clothes?" 

"Yes,  that's  true." 

"Then,  how  do  you  expect  to  better  your- 
self?" asked  Harry,  looking  puzzled. 

"I'll  tell  you,  if  you  don't  say  anything 
about  it,"  answered  Jack,  in  a  lower  tone. 

"Go  ahead." 

"We  are  going  to  Australia,  you  know.  I've 
heard  there  are  good  chances  of  making  money 
there,  in  mining  or  herding  cattle,  and  I  mean 
to  leave  the  ship  at  Melbourne.  Of  course^  I 
don't  want  anything  said  about  it." 

"Would  the  captain  try  to  prevent  you, 
Jack?" 

"I  think  he  would.  He  don't  like  me.  at 
any  rate." 

"Why  not?" 

"That  is  more  than  I  can  tell,  but  I  can  see 
that  he  has  a  prejudice  against  me." 

The  boys  were  so  absorbed  in  their  conversa- 
tion that  they  did  not  notice  the  approach  of 
the  captain  till  his  harsh  voice  was  heard. 

"What  are  you  two  boys  chattering  about?" 
he  demanded,  with  a  frown. 

Jack  turned  round  startled,  but  Harry  faced 
the  captain  calmly,  and  did  not  speak. 

"Will  you  answer  me?"  he  repeated,  raising 
his  voice. 


Facing   the   World.  149 

^'I  was  talking  about  home  and  my  mother," 
eaJd  Jack. 

"Mighty  interesting,  upon  my  word!  And 
what  were  you  talking  about?"  continued 
Capt.  Hill,  turning  to  Harry. 

"That  can  be  of  no  interest  to  you,  Capt. 
Hill,"  said  Harry,  coldly.  "You  appear  to 
forget  that  I  am  a  passenger." 

As  he  walked  away,  the  captain  regarded 
him  with  an  ominous  scowl.  He  wished  that 
for  fifteen  minutes  Harry  had  been  one  of  his 
crew.  It  was  fortunate  for  Jack  that  his  tem- 
per was  diverted,  for,  apparently  forgetting  the 
young  sailor,  he  strode  on,  and  Jack  managed 
to  slip  down  to  the  forecastle. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

HARRY'S    DARING    ACT. 

This  was  not  by  any  means  the  last  conver- 
sation Harry  had  with  Jack  Pendleton — for 
this  he  found  to  be  the  young  sailor's  name — ■ 
and  they  soon  became  excellent  friends. 

"Jack,"  said  Harry  one  day,  "I  never  should 
take  you  to  be  a  sailor  if  I  met  you  on  land." 

"Why  not?" 


150  Facing   the   World. 

"You  don't  talk  like  one." 

Jack  smiled. 

"I  suppose  you  mean  that  I  never  say  'shiver 
my  timbers,'  and  use  other  like  expressions." 

''No;  but  because  you  talk  like  a  well-edu- 
cated boy." 

"So  I  am.  I  was  always  fond  of  my  books, 
and  stood  high  in  school.  But  for  my  step- 
father I  might  be  there  yet.  As  it  is,  my  educa- 
tion stopped  at  the  age  of  thirteen." 

"Not  necessarily.  You  have  learned  a  good 
deal  since." 

"Yes,  but  not  of  books.  I  hope  some  time  to 
be  able  to  continue  my  studies.  At  present  it 
is  my  business  to  learn  seamanship." 

Harry  had  the  more  time  on  his  hands,  as 
his  traveling  companion,  the  professor,  took 
sick,  and  was  confined  for  three  or  four  weeks 
to  his  cabin.  There  was  no  danger,  but  still 
the  ship's  surgeon  advised  him  to  stay  below. 

"What  makes  you  keep  company  with  that 
sailor  boy,  Mr.  Vane?"  asked  Montgomery 
Clinton,  who  would  have  liked  more  of  Har- 
ry's society  himself. 

"Why  shouldn't  I?" 

"Because  he  is  a  common  sailor,  don't  you 
know?" 

"I  think  he  is  rather  an  uncommon  sailor. 
He  is  very  well  educated." 


Facing    the   World.  1511 

"Oh,  yes;  I  suppose  he  can  read  and  write; 
but,  of  course,  he  can  never  be  admitted  into 
society,  don't  you  know?" 

"No,  I  don't,  Mr.  Clinton.  He  may  be  a 
captain  some  day." 

"But  he  isn't  now.  I  give  you  my  word  I 
noticed  this  morning,  when  you  were  speaking 
with  him,  that  his  fingers  were  all  soiled  with 
tar.    That's  horrid,  you  know." 

"Don't  you  think  he's  a  good-looking  boy, 
Mr.  Clinton?" 

"Well,  yes,  for  one  of  the  lower  order,  Mr. 
Vane." 

"You  forget  we  don't  have  any  distinction 
of  classes  in  America." 

"Don't  we,  though?  By  Jove !  Mr.  Vane,  you 
don't  put  yourself  on  a  level  with  those  crea- 
tures that  dig  ditches  and  climb  masts,  and 
such  things?" 

"Your  sentiments  are  very  undemocratic, 
Mr.  Clinton.  You  ought  to  have  been  born 
in   England." 

"I  wish  I  had  been.  I  like  their  institutions 
a,  good  deal  better  than  ours,  don't  you 
know?" 

"When  I  first  spoke  with  you,  Mr.  Clinton, 
I  thought  you  might  be  an  Englishman." 

"Did  you,  really?"  inquired  Clinton,  Yiith. 
evident  pleasure.     "I'm  often  taken  for  an 


!I52  Facing    the   World. 

Englishman,  on  my  honor.  I  don't  know  why 
it  is,  but  positively,  I'm  often  asked  when  I 
came  from  the  other  side?" 

"Would  you  rather  be  taken  for  an  English- 
man than  an  American?" 

"Well,  you  see,  there  are  some  Americans 
that  are  so  vulgar,  don't  you  know? — talk 
through  their  noses,  and  all  that." 

"Where  were  you  born,  Mr.  Clinton?" 

"In  Massachusetts,  not  far  from  Boston." 

"Then  you  are  a  Yankee." 

"Oh !  don't  call  me  that,  Mr.  Vane.  I  really 
couldn't  stand  it.  People  always  think  of  a 
Yankee  as  a  tall,  slatsided  individual,  like  Asa 
Trenchard,  in  the  play  of  ^Our  American 
Cousin.' " 

"But  he's  a  much  more  creditable  character 
than  Lord  Dundreary,"  said  Harry,  who  had 
once  seen  the  play  performed  by  a  traveling 
company  in  the  town  hall  of  his  native  place. 
"Dundreary,  though  a  lord,  was  a  perfect 
idiot." 

"Still,  he  knew  how  to  behave  in  society, 
and  wore  good  clothes."  i 

"Would  you  prefer  to  be  Lord  Dundreary 
rather  than  Asa  Trenchard?" 

"Of  course.  How  can  you  ask  that  question, 
Mr.  Vane?" 

Harrv  smiled. 


Facing    the   World.  153 

"I  wanted  to  get  your  idea  on  the  subject," 
he  said. 

"By  the  way,  Mr.  Vane,  are  you  descended 
from  Sir  Henry  Vane,  one  of  the  royal  gov- 
ernors of  Massachusetts?  I  have  been  mean- 
ing to  ask  you," 

"I  can't  tell,  .Mr.  Clinton ;  but  my  name  hap- 
pens to  be  the  same — Harry." 

"Really,  that  is  very  interesting.  I  should 
think  you  would  look  up  the  matter." 

"Perhaps  I  will  when  I  return  home!"  said 
Harry,  who  cared  very  little  about  the  matter. 
From  this  time,  however,  Clinton  regarded  him 
with  increased  respect,  and  manifested  an  in- 
creased liking  for  his  society,  from  his  sup- 
posed aristocratic  lineage.  Our  hero  treated 
him  with  good-natured  toleration,  but  much 
preferred  the  company  of  Jack  Pendleton, 
sailor  as  he  was,  though  his  fingers  were  not 
infrequently  smeared  with  tar.  Harry  did  not 
mind  this,  but  was  attracted  by  the  frank, 
good-humored  face  of  young  Jack,  and  was  al- 
ways glad  to  have  a  chat  with  him.  He  had  a 
chance,  though  at  some  personal  risk,  to  do 
him  a  signal  service  before  long. 

The  captain's  habits,  it  must  be  said,  did  not 
improve.  His  stock  of  liquor  was  ample,  and 
he  continued  to  indulge  himself.  Generally 
he  kept  within  safe  bounds,  but  at  times  he 


154  Facing    the   World. 

allowed  his  appetite  to  get  the  better  of  him. 
Whenever  that  happened,  it  was  fortunate  if 
he  drank  himself  into  a  state  of  stupefaction, 
and  remained  in  his  cabin,  leaving  the  manage- 
ment of  the  ship  to  the  mate,  Mr.  Holdfast, 
who  was  thoroughly  temperate.  Unfortu- 
nately, he  was  not  always  content  to  remain 
in  the  cabin.  He  would  stagger  upstairs  and 
give  orders  which  might,  or  might  not,  be 
judicious. 

Of  course,  this  state  of  things  was  perfectly 
well  understood  by  all  on  board.  One  of  the 
passengers,  in  an  interview  with  the  mate, 
tried  to  draw  him  out  on  the  subject,  and  asked 
him,  if  matters  should  absolutely  require  it, 
whether  he  would  assume  command  of  the 
ship. 

"I  would  rather  not  express  myself  on  that 
point,"  said  Holdfast,  cautiously.  "As  a  sub- 
ordinate it  would  not  be  becoming.  It  will 
be  time  enough  when  the  contingency  you 
speak  of  arrives." 

With  this  they  had  to  be  satisfied.  Indeed, 
they  thought  that  the  mate  was  right,  and  his 
caution  increased  their  respect  for  him. 

One  day^it  was  about  a  month  after  they 
left  port — Capt.  Hill  came  up  on  deck  in  one 
of  his  worst  fits  of  intoxication.  All  the  pas- 
sengers were  on  deck,  it  being  a  fair  day.  They 


Facing   the   World  155 

regarded  the  captain  with  alarm,  for  in  his 
hand  he  held  a  pistol,  which  he  carried  in  such 
careless  style  that  it  might  be  discharged  at 
any  time. 

Jack  Pendleton  had  been  sent  up  to  the  mast- 
head on  some  duty  by  the  mate.  The  captain's 
roving  eyes  fell  upon  him,  and  the  dislike  he 
felt  for  the  boy  found  vent. 

"What  are  you  doing  up  there,  you  young 
lubber?"  he  shouted. 

"Mr.  Holdfast  sent  me,"  answered  Jack. 

"You  lie!"  roared  the  captain.  "I'll  teach 
you  to  lie  to  me!" 

"I'll  come  down,  sir,"  said  Jack,  "if  you  say 
so." 

"I'll  bring  you  down !"  shouted  the  captain, 
furiously,  as  he  deliberately  pointed  the  pistol 
at  the  cabin  boy,  and  prepared  to  pull  the  trig- 
ger. 

There  was  a  cry  of  horror  on  the  part  of  the 
passengers  as  they  saw  the  insane  act  of  the 
captain,  and  realized  the  peril  of  poor  Jack. 
But,  in  spite  of  all,  the  boy  would  probably 
have  fallen  a  victim  to  the  drunken  fury  of 
Capt.  Hill.  Jack  himself  fully  understood  his 
danger,  and  his  ruddy  face  turned  pale.  His 
life  hung  in  the  balance,  and  was  saved  only 
hj  the  courage  of  his  boy  friend,  Harry. 

Of  all  the  passengers,  Harry  stood  nearest  to 


1^6  Facing    the    World. 

the  captain.  When  he  saw  the  pistol  pointed 
at  Jack,  he  did  not  stop  to  think,  but  made  a 
bound,  and  dashed  the  weapon  from  the  cap- 
tain's hand.  It  was  discharged,  but  the  bullet 
sped  over  the  rail  and  dropped  into  the  ocean. 
Nor  did  Harry  stop  here.  He  seized  the  fallen 
pistol,  and  hurled  it  over  the  side  of  the  vessel. 
The  captain  was  for  a  moment  stupefied  by 
the  suddenness  of  the  act.  Then  in  a  voice  of 
fury,  he  exclaimed,  pointing  to  Harry:  "Put 
that  boy  in  irons!" 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

A    SENSATIONAL    SCENE. 

"Put  that  boy  in  irons !"  repeated  Capt.  Hill, 
his  eyes  blazing  with  anger. 

Not  a  sailor  stirred.  There  was  not  one  that 
did  not  admire  Harry's  promptness,  which  had 
saved  Jack's  life,  and  prevented  the  captain 
from  becoming  a  murderer. 

"Here,  you  two  men,  seize  the  boy,  and  carry 
him  below !"  exclaimed  the  captain,  address- 
ing Brown  and  Higgins,  the  two  sailors  near- 
est. 

The  two  men  looked  at  each  other,  moved  a 
Step  forward  and  then  stopped. 


Facing   the   World.  157 

"Is  this  mutiny?"  roared  the  captain,  with 
a  blood-curdling  oath.  "Am  I  master  in  my 
own  ship  or  not?" 

What  might  have  been  the  issue,  it  is  hard 
to  tell,  had  not  the  Yankee  passenger,  already 
referred  to,  Jonathan  Stubbs,  come  forward 
and  taken  up  the  gauntlet. 

"Look  here,  cap'n,"  he  commenced,  in  a 
drawling  tone,  "what's  all  this  fuss  you're 
kickin'  up?    You're  kinder  riled,  ain't  you?" 

"Who  are  you  that  dare  to  bandy  words 
with  me?"  roared  the  captain,  with  a  terrific 
frown. 

"I  thought  you  knew  my  name,"  answered 
the  Yankee,  with  imperturbable  coolness,  "but 
if  you  don't,  here  is  my  card,"  and  he  deliber- 
ately drew  a  card  from  his  pocket,  and  tendered 
it  to  the  chief  officer. 

Capt.  Hill  struck  it  from  his  hand,  and 
threw  it  upon  the  deck. 

"That  is  the  way  I  treat  your  card,  sir.  Men, 
do  you  hear  me?  Put  that  boy  in  irons,  or 
must  I  do  it  myself?" 

"Look  here,  cap'n,  let's  argy  that  matter  a 
little,"  said  Stubbs.  "What's  the  boy  to  be  put 
in  irons  for?" 

"For  grossly  insulting  me,  and  defying  my 
authority,  sir." 

"He  has  prevented  your  committing  murder. 


1^8  Facing    the   World. 

if  that's  what  you  mean.  You  ought  to  thank 
him." 

"Take  care,  sir !"  thundered  the  captain,  "or 
I  may  put  you  in  irons,  also." 

"I  reckon  you  might  find  a  little  opposition," 
said  the  Yankee  quietly.  "I'm  a  passenger  on 
this  vessel,  Capt.  Hill,  and  your  authority 
doesn't  extend  to  me," 

"We'll  see  about  that,  sir,"  said  the  captain, 
and  he  grasped  Stubbs  by  the  collar. 

Now,  the  Yankee  was  not  a  heavy  man,  but 
he  was  very  strong  and  wiry,  and,  moreover, 
in  his  early  days,  like  Abraham  Lincoln,  he 
had  been  the  best  wrestler  in  the  Vermont 
village  in  which  he  was  born.  He  was  a  very 
quiet,  peaceable  man,  but  he  was  accustomed  to 
resent  insult  in  an  effective  way.  He  wrenched 
himself  free  by  a  powerful  effort,  then,  with  a 
dexterous  movement  of  one  of  his  long  legs,  he 
tripped  up  the  captain,  who  fell  in  a  heap  upon 
the  deck.  The  shock,  added  to  the  effects  of  his 
intoxication,  seemed  to  stupefy  the  captain, 
who  remained  where  he  fell. 

"Boys,"  said  Stubbs,  coolly,  to  the  two 
sailors,  who  had  been  ordered  to  put  Harry  in 
irons,  "hadn't  you  better  help  the  captain  into 
his  cabin?    He  seems  to  be  unwell." 

Just  then  the  mate  came  on  deck.  He  didn't 
make  inquiries,  but  took  in  the  situation  at  a 


Facing   the   World.  159 

glance,  and  assisted  the  captain  to  his  feet. 

"Shall  I  help  you  downstairs,  sir?"  he  asked. 

The  captain  silently  acquiesced,  and  the 
prime  actor  in  this  rather  startling  scene  left 
the  deck. 

Jack  Pendleton  scrambled  down  from  his 
elevated  perch  with  the  agility  of  a  cat.  He 
ran  up  to  Harry,  and  grasped  his  hand,  with 
evident  emotion, 

"You  have  saved  my  life !"  he  said.  "I  will 
always  be  your  friend.  I  would  lay  down  my 
life  for  you." 

"It's  all  right.  Jack,"  said  Harry,  rather 
shyly.  "You  would  have  done  the  same  for 
me." 

"Yes,  I  would,"  answered  Jack,  heartily, 
"but  there's  no  one  else  who  would  have  done 
it  for  me." 

"Are  you  going  to  leave  me  out,  my  boy?" 
asked  the  Yankee,  with  a  smile  on  his  plain 
but  good-natured  face. 

"No,  sir,"  responded  Jack.  "You  stood  up 
to  the  captain  like  a  man.  He  didn't  frighten 
you." 

"No,  I  wasn't  much  scared,"  drawled  Stubbs, 
contorting  his  features  drolly.  "But,  I  say, 
young  man,  I've  got  a  piece  of  advice  to  give 
you.  You  don't  seem  to  be  much  of  a  favorite 
with  the  captain." 


i6o  Facing   the   World. 

"It  don't  look  so,"  said  Jack,  laughing. 

"Just  you  keep  out  of  his  way  as  much  aa 
you  can.  When  a  man  gets  as  full  as  he  does, 
he's  apt  to  be  dangerous." 

"Thank  you,  sir;  I  will." 

Among  the  spectators  of  the  scene  just  de- 
scribed, the  most  panic-stricken,  probably  was 
Montgomery  Clinton,  the  Brooklyn  dude. 

After  the  captain  had  gone  below,  he  walked 
up  to  Harry,  whom  he  regarded  with  evident 
admiration. 

"I  say,  you're  quite  a  hero.  I  was  awfully 
frightened,  don't  you  know,  when  that  big 
bully  aimed  at  the  sailor  boy." 

"You  looked  a  little  nervous,  Mr.  Clinton," 
said  Harry,  smiling. 

"You  were  awfully  brave,  to  knock  the  pistol 
out  of  his  hand.  I  don't  see  how  you  dared  to 
do  it." 

"I  didn't  stop  to  think  of  the  danger.  I 
saw  that  Jack's  life  was  in  danger,  and  I  did 
the  only  thing  I  could  to  save  him." 

"I'm  glad  you're  not  put  in  irons.  It  must 
be  awful  to  be  in  irons." 

"I  don't  think  I  should  like  it,  though  I 
never  had  any  experience.  You'd  have  stoo^d! 
by  me,  wouldn't  you,  Mr.  Clinton?'^ 

Clinton  was  evidently  alarmed  at  the  sug* 
gestion. 


Facing   the   World.  !i6i 

"Yes,  of  course,"  he  said,  nervously ;  "that  is, 
I  would  have  gone  down  to  see  you  on  the 
sly.  You  wouldn't  expect  me  to  fight  the  cap- 
tain, don't  you  know." 

Harry  could  hardly  refrain  from  smiling  at 
the  idea  of  the  spindle-shaped  dude  resisting 
the  captain;  but  he  kept  a  straight  face  as  he 
answered : 

"I  look  upon  you  as  a  brave  man,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton. When  I  get  into  trouble,  I  shall  be  sure 
to  call  upon  you." 

"Oh,  certainly,"  stammered  Clinton;  "but 
I  say,  Mr.  Vane,  I  hope  you'll  be  prudent;  I 
do,  really.  Capt.  Hill  might  shoot  you,  you 
know,  as  he  tried  to  shoot  the  sailor  boy  just 
now." 

"If  he  does,  Mr.  Clinton,  I  shall  expect  you 
to  interfere.  You  are  not  as  strong  as  the 
captain,  but  a  bold  front  will  go  a  great  way. 
If  you  threaten  to — to  horsewhip  him,  I  think 
it  might  produce  an  effect  upon  him." 

"Keally,  my  dear  Mr.  Vane,"  said  Clinton, 
turning  pale,  "I  don't  think  I  could  go  so  far 
as  that." 

"I  thought  you  were  my  friend,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton," said  Harry,  reproachfully. 

"So  I  am,  but  I  think  you  are,  too — too 
bloodthirsty,  Mr.  Vane.  It  is  best  to  be  pru- 
ident,  don't  you  know?    There's  that  Yankee, 


i62  Facing   the   World. 

Mr.  Stubbs;  he  would  do  a  great  deal  better 
than  I.  He's  stronger,  and  older,  and — ^you'd 
better  speak  to  him,  don't  you  know." 

"A  very  good  suggestion,  Mr.  Clinton,"  said 
Harry,  gravely. 

"I  am  afraid  I  should  fare  badly,"  thought 
our  hero,  "if  I  depended  upon  Clinton  to  stand 
by  me.  He  isn't  of  the  stuff  they  make  heroes 
of." 

Twenty-four  hours  passed  before  Capt.  Hill 
reappeared  on  deck.  Meanwhile,  Harry  had 
received  congratulations  from  all  the  passen- 
gers on  his  display  of  pluck,  and  from  some 
of  the  sailors  besides.  In  fact,  if  he  had  not 
been  a  sensible  boy,  he  might  have  been  in  dan- 
ger of  being  spoiled  by  praise.  But  he  an- 
swered, very  modestly,  that  he  had  acted  only 
from  impulse,  actuated  by  a  desire  to  save 
Jack,  and  had  not  had  time  to  count  the  con- 
sequences. 

"I'll  stand  by  you,  my  lad,"  said  Hiram 
Stubbs.  "The  captain  may  try  to  do  you  a 
wrong,  but  he  will  have  somebody  else  to 
reckon  with — I  won't  see  you  hurt." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Stubbs,"  said  Harry,  heart- 
ily. "I  know  the  value  of  your  help  already. 
Mr.  Clinton  also  is  willing  to  stand  by  me, 
though  he  says  he  doesn't  want  to  get  into  a 
fight  with  the  captain." 


Facing   the   World.  163 

"Clinton!  That  spindle-legged  dude!"  said 
Btubbs,  exploding  with  laughter.  "My!  he 
couldn't  scare  a  fly." 

Harry  laughed,  too.  He  could  not  well  help 
it. 

"He  seems  a  good  fellow,  though  not  ex- 
actly a  hero,"  he  said.  "I  am  glad  to  have  his 
good  will." 

"He  is  more  of  a  tailor's  dummy  than  a 
man,"  said  Stubbs.  "I  alwaj^s  want  to  laugh 
when  I  look  at  him.    Hist !  there's  the  captain.'^ 

Harry  turned  quickly  toward  the  companion 
way,  and  saw  Capt.  Hill  set  foot  on  the  deck. 
'A  glance  satisfied  him  that  the  captain  was 
sober. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A       STORM. 

Capt.  Hill  must  have  observed  Harry  and 
Mr.  Stubbs,  but  he  walked  by  them  without  no- 
tice, and  attended  to  his  duties,  giving  his  or- 
ders in  a  sharp,  quick  tone.  He  was  an  experi- 
enced seaman,  and  thoroughly  fitted  for  the 
post  of  chief  officer,  when  not  under  the  influ- 
ence of  liquor. 


164  Facing    the   World. 

"I  am  clad  to  see  that  the  captain  is  sober," 
said  Stub  Us,  in  a  low  voice. 

"So  am  I,"  answered  Harry. 

Harry  was  a  little  apprehensive  that  Capt. 
Hill  w^ould  show  resentment  for  his  boyish 
interference,  though  it  had  saved  him  from 
committing  murder  under  such  circumstances, 
and  before  so  many  witnesses,  that  he  could  not 
well  have  escaped  conviction  and  punishment 
whenever  the  ship  reached  land.  But,  except 
ignoring  his  presence,  the  captain  did  not  in 
any  way  intimate  his  recollection  of  the  occur- 
rence. From  this  time,  indeed,  he  seemed  to 
turn  over  a  new  leaf.  Whether  he  still  in- 
dulged his  appetite  for  strong  drink  in  the  se- 
clusion of  his  cabin  or  not,  he  did  not  again 
appear  on  deck  in  a  state  that  unfitted  him  for 
the  performance  of  his  duties. 

One  change,  however,  all  noticed  in  Capt. 
Hill.  He  became  silent,  reserved,  morose.  His 
orders  were  given  in  a  quick,  peremptory  tone, 
and  he  seemed  to  cherish  a  grudge  against  all 
on  board.  Some  captains  add  much  to  the 
pleasure  of  the  passengers  by  their  social  and 
cheery  manners,  but  whenever  Capt.  Hill  ap- 
peared, a  wet  blanket  seemed  to  fall  on  the 
spirits  of  passengers  and  crew,  and  they  con- 
versed in  an  undertone,  as  if  under  some 
restraint. 


Facing   the   World.  165 

Between  the  captain  and  the  matCj  there  was 
a  great  difference.  Mr.  HoldfastCJ^Jl  a  bluffy 
hearty  way  with  him,  which  made  him  popu- 
lar with  all  on  board.  As  an  officer,  he  was 
strict,  and  expected  his  orders  to  be  executed 
promptly,  but  in  private  he  was  affable  and 
agreeable.  The  sailors  felt  instinctively  that 
■he  was  their  friend,  and  regarded  him  with  at- 
tachment, while  they  respected  his  seamanship. 
If  a  vote  had  been  taken,  there  was  not  one 
but  would  have  preferred  him  as  captain  to 
Capt.  Hill. 

Thus  far — I  am  speaking  of  a  time  when  the 
'Nantucket  was  three  months  out — there  had 
been  no  serious  storm.  Kough  weather  there 
had  been,  and  wet,  disagreeable  weather,  but 
the  stanch  ship  had  easily  overcome  all  the 
perils  of  the  sea,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
Montgomery  Clinton,  no  one  had  been  seriously 
alarmed.  But  one  afternoon  a  cloud  appeared 
in  the  hitherto  clear  sky,  which  would  have 
attracted  no  attention  from  a  landsman.  Mr. 
Holdfast  observed  it,  however,  and  quietly  call- 
ing the  captain,  directed  his  attention  to  it. 

"I  think  we  are  going  to  have  a  bad  storm, 
Capt.  Hill,"  he  said.  "That  cloud  is  a  weather 
breeder." 

The  captain  watched  the  cloud  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  answered  quietly :  "I  think  you 


i66  Facing   the   World. 

are  right,  Mr.  Holdfast.  You  may  give  your 
orders  accordingly." 

The  sails  were  reefed,  and  the  vessel  was 
prepared  for  the  warfare  with  the  elements 
which  awaited  it. 

"What  are  they  doing  that  for,  Mr.  Vane?" 
asked  Clinton,  who  chanced  to  be  conversing 
with  our  hero.  "It's  a  pity  to  reef  the  sails 
w^hen  we  are  going  on  so  nicely.  For  my  part, 
I  wish  we  could  go  faster.  I'm  tired  of  being 
at  sea." 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  reach  land  myself,  Mr. 
Clinton,  but  I  suppose  if  they  furl  the  sails 
they  have  good  reason  for  it." 

"I  give  you  my  word,  Mr.  Vane,  I'm  quite 
tired  of  wearing  the  same  clothes  day  after 
day.  When  I  was  on  shore  my  tailor  had 
orders  to  make  me  twelve  suits  a  year.  We've 
been  at  sea  three  months,  and  I've  just  had  to 
wear  the  same  suits  till  I'm  tired  of 
them." 

"How  many  suits  did  you  bring  with  you?" 
asked  Harry,  smiling. 

"Only  six.  It  was  all  I  had  room  for,"  an- 
swered Clinton,  in  a  tone  of  apology. 

"I  don't  know  what  you  will  think  of  me, 
then,"  said  Harry.  "I  have  but  one  besides 
the  one  I  have  on." 

"Oh,  by  Jove !  that's  a  very  narrow  margin ! 


Facing   the   World.  i6}^ 

I  don't  see  how  you  manage,  don't  you  know." 

"You  see,  I  never  aspired  to  be  a  leader  of 
fashion  like  you,  Mr,  Clinton." 

"You  are  awfully  kind,  Mr.  Vane,"  said  the 
dude,  with  a  gratified  smile;  "quite  compli- 
mentary, on  my  word.  I  don't  want  to  boast, 
but  my  tailor  tells  me  I  have  more  pairs  of 
trousers  than  any  other  young  society  man 
in  Brooklyn.    'Pon  my  word." 

"That  must  be  a  great  satisfaction,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton," said  Harry,  with  considerable  gravity; 
"we  can't  all  be  fashionable.  Now,  I  wouldn't 
dare  to  tell  you  how  few  clothes  I  have." 

"You  are  only  a  boy,  you  know.  No  offense, 
of  course." 

"Certainly  not;  as  you  say,  I  am  only  a 
boy.  But  if  you  don't  mind  telling  me  how 
many  pairs  of  pants " 

"Excuse  me,"  interrupted  Clinton,  in  a  hor- 
rified tone,  "I  never  wear  pants.  They  never 
say  pants  in  fashionable  circles." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  I  meant  trousers.  How 
many  pairs  of  trousers  did  your  wardrobe  con- 
tain?" 

"Forty-three,"  answered  Clinton,  in  a  com- 
placent tone. 

"You  must  spend  a  great  deal  for  clothes, 
then." 

"I  have  bills  with  several  tailors,"  Clinton 


[i68  Facing   the   World. 

explained.  "That  class  of  people  expect  to 
wait,  you  know." 

"Then  I  hope  for  their  sake,  we  shan't  be 
shipwrecked,"  said  Harry. 

"Don't  mention  such  a  horrid  word,"  said 
Clinton,  nervously.  "Keally,  it  makes  me  very 
uncomfortable,  don't  you  kno'w?" 

Harry,  out  of  regard  to  Clinton's  feelings, 
did  not  pursue  the  subject,  but  in  a  short  time 
it  forced  itself  upon  the  attention  of  all  on 
board.  The  little  cloud  increased  portentously 
in  size.  All  at  once  a  strong  wind  sprang  up, 
the  sea  roughened,  and  the  billows  grew  white 
with  fury,  while  the  good  ship,  stanch  as  she 
was,  creaked  and  groaned  and  was  tossed 
about,  as  if  it  were  a  toy  boat  on  the  wrath- 
ful ocean. 

The  passengers  were  all  seriously  alarmed. 
They  had  never  before  realized  what  a  storm  at 
sea  was.  Even  a  man  of  courage  may  well 
be  daunted  by  the  terrific  power  of  the  sea 
when  it  is  roused  to  such  an  exhibition. 

"Harry,"  said  the  professor,  "this  is 
terrible." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  answered  the  boy,  gravely. 

"If  I  were  indeed  the  magician  I  claim  to 
be,"  added  the  professor  with  a  faint  smile, 
*'I  would  try  to  subdue  the  storm,  but  all  my 
tricks  are  of  no  avail  here." 


Facing   the   World.  169 

"I  suppose  it  is  because  we  are  landsmen 
that  it  seems  so  terrible  to  us." 

"Not  wholly.  See  how  grave  and  anxious 
the  captain  and  mate  look.  The  sailors,  too, 
work  as  if  they  knew  their  lives  were  at  stake." 

"It  is  very  fortunate  the  captain  is  not  in- 
toxicated." 

"Even  if  he  were,  such  a  thing  as  this  ought 
to  sober  him.  It  looks  very  doubtful  whether 
we  shall  ever  give  entertainments  in  Aus- 
tralia." 

"We  will  hope  for  the  best,  at  any  rate,  pro- 
fessor," said  Harry,  manfully.  "There  is 
nothing  to  do  but  to  trust  in  Providence.' 

"Well  thought  of,  Harry.  I  am  not  a  relig- 
ious man — more's  the  pity — but  I  believe  in 
Ood,  and  trust  in  Him." 

It  became  so  rough  and  difftcult  to  stand 
on  deck,  on  account  of  the  vessel  being  tossed 
about  like  a  cockle  shell,  that  Harry  felt  con- 
strained to  go  below. 

As  he  passed  the  cabin  of  Montgomery  Clin- 
ton, he  heard  a  faint  voice  call  his  name. 

Entering,  he  saw  the  dude  stretched  out  in 
his  berth,  with  an  expression  of  helpless  terror 
in  his  weak  face. 

"Oh !  Mr.  Vane,"  he  said,  "do  you  think  we 
are  going  to  the  bottom?" 

"I  hope  not,  Mr.  Clinton.     Our  officers  are 


lyo  Facing    the   World. 

skillful  men.  They  will  do  all  they  can  for 
us." 

"It  is  too  awfully  horrid !"  groaned  Clinton. 
"I'd  cheerfully  give  away  all  my  trousers  and 
wear  overalls  the  rest  of  my  life,  if  I  could  be 
on  land." 

Harry  was  amused  in  spite  of  himself. 

"I  think  I  would  do  the  same,"  he  said.  "But 
wouldn't  you  find  life  a  burden  if  you  had  to 
dress  in  that  way?" 

"I  don't  care.  I'm  awfully  in  earnest !"  said 
Clinton,  with  heroic  self-sacrifice.  "Oh! 
what's  that?"  and  he  moaned  in  terror  as  a 
heavy  sea  struck  the  vessel  on  the  side  and 
nearly  threw  him  out  of  his  berth. 


OHAPTEE    XXV. 

THE  "Nantucket's"  danger. 

It  was  a  terrible  nght.  None  of  the  passen- 
gers ventured  upon  the  deck.  Indeed,  such  was 
the  motion  that  it  would  have  been  dangerous, 
as  even  the  sailors  found  it  difficult  to  keep 
their  footing,  Harry  was  pale  and  quiet,  un- 
like his  friend  from  Brooklyn,  whose  moans 
were  heard  mingled  with  the  noise  of  the 
tempest. 


Facing   the   World.  171 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
when  those  below  heard,  with  terror,  a  fearful 
crash,  and  a  trampling  of  feet  above.  One  of 
the  masts  had  fallen  before  the  fury  of  the 
storm,  and  the  shock  made  the  good  ship  ca- 
reen to  a  dangerous  extent.  What  had  hap- 
pened, however,  was  not  understood  below. 

"I  wonder  what  has  happened,"  said  the  pro- 
fessor, nervously.  "I  think  I  will  go  and 
see." 

He  got  out  of  his  berth,  but  only  to  be 
pitched  helpless  to  the  other  end  of  the  cabin. 

"This  is  terrible !"  he  said,  as  he  picked  him- 
self up. 

"I  will  try  my  luck,  professor,"  said  Harry. 

He  scrambled  out  of  his  berth,  and,  with 
great  difficutly,  made  his  way  upstairs. 

One  glance  told  him  what  had  occurred. 
The  crippled  ship  was  laboring  through  the 
sea.  It  seemed  like  a  very  unequal  combat,  and 
Harry  might  be  excused  for  deciding  that  the 
ship  was  doomed.  All  about,  the  sea  wore  its 
fiercest  aspect.  Harry  returned  cautiously  to 
his  cabin. 

"Well?",  said  the  professor. 

"One  of  the  masts  is  gone,"  answered  the 
boy.     "The  ship  is  having  a  hard  time." 

"Is  there  danger?"  asked  the  professor,  anx- 
iously. 


.172  Facing   the   World. 

"I  am  afraid  so,"  said  Harry,  gravely. 

Montgomery  Clinton  heard  both  question 
and  answer,  and  was  seized  with  panic. 

"Do  you  think  we  are  going  to  the  bottom^ 
Mr.  Vane?"  he  asked,  trembling. 

"We  are  in  great  peril,  but  there  is  always 
hope.    I  don't  give  up." 

"Oh!  why  did  I  ever  come  to  sea?"  sobbed 
the  wretched  dude.  "I  was  having  a  good 
time  in  Brooklyn,  I  was  a  great  favorite  with 
the  ladies,  and  all  the  young  men  admired 
my  clothes.    I  wish  I  was  there  now." 

"What  is  the  fool  bawling  about?"  was 
heard  from  the  next  cabin,  occupied  by  Mr. 
Stubbs.  "If  you've  got  to  die,  can't  you  take 
it  calmly,  as  I  do?" 

"I  don't  want  to  be  drowned !  It's  perfectly 
awful!"  moaned  Clinton.  "I — I  never  ex- 
pected to  become  food  for  fishes." 

"Don't  be  alarmed !  None  of  the  fishes  will 
meddle  with  you,"  returned  Stubbs,  in  a  sar- 
castic tone. 

Critical  as  was  their  condition,  Harry  could 
not  avoid  smiling  as  he  heard  this  remark.  But 
the  sarcasm  did  not  touch  Clinton.  He  was 
too  much  under  the  influence  of  terror. 

At  length  the  night  wore  away.  The  vio- 
lence of  the  storm  seemed  to  have  abated, 
for,  after  a  time,  the  motion  diminished.    More 


Facing   the   World.  1731 

enterprising  than  the  rest  of  the  passengers, 
Harry  resolved  to  go  on  deck. 

"Won't  you  come  with  me,  Mr.  Clinton?" 
he  asked. 

"I — I  couldn't,  'pon  my  honor.  I'm  as  weak 
as  a  rag.  I  don't  think  I  could  get  out  of  my 
berth,  really,  now." 

"I'll  go  with  you,  my  young  friend,"  said 
Mr.  Stubbs. 

Harry  and  his  Yankee  friend  set  foot  cau- 
tiously on  deck.  The  prospect  was  not  reas- 
suring. The  ship  rolled  heavily,  and  from  the 
creaking  it  seemed  that  the  timbers  of  the  hull 
were  strained.  The  sailors  looked  fagged  out, 
and  there  was  a  set,  stern  look  on  the  face  of 
the  captain,  whom,  nevertheless,  Mr.  Stubbs 
ventured  to  accost. 

"What's  the  prospect,  captain?"  he  asked. 

"You'd  better  make  your  will,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, grimly. 

"That's  cheerful,"  commented  Stubbs,  turn- 
ing to  Harry. 

I     "Yes,  sir,"  answered  Harry,  soberly. 
J     "Don't  tell  our  foppish  friend  below,  or  he'll 
rend  our  ears  with  his  howls.     But  you,  my 
young  friend,  it's  rather  rough  on  you.    How 
old  are  you?" 

"Sixteen." 

"And  I'm  rising  fifty.    Even  if  I  am  taken 


174  Facing    the   Worlc^ 

away,  I've  a  good  thirty  years  the  advantage 
of  you.  I've  had  a  good  time,  on  the  whole,  and 
enjoyed  myself  as  well  as  the  average.  Still, 
I  don't  quite  like  going  to  the  bottom  in  the 
Nantucket.  I  was  looking  forward  to  twenty 
years  or  so  more  of  life." 

"We  must  submit  to  the  will  of  God,"  said 
Harry,  quietly. 

"You  are  right,  my  boy!  It  is  easy  to  see 
that  you  have  been  well  trained.  Mr.  Hold- 
fast"— for  they  had  reached  the  place  where 
the  mate  was  standing — "shall  we  outlive  the 
storm?" 

"It  is  hard  to  say,  Mr.  Stubbs.  It  depends 
on  the  stanchness  of  the  ship.  We  will  do 
w^hat  we  can." 

Ten  minutes  later  there  was  a  sinister  an- 
swer to  the  inquiry  of  Mr.  Stubbs.  A  sailor, 
who  had  been  sent  down  into  the  hold,  came 
with  the  information  that  the  ship  had  sprung^ 
a  leak. 

Then  commenced  the  weary  work  at  the 
pumps.  The  sailors  were  already  worn  out 
with  fighting  the  storm  under  the  direction  of 
the  captain  and  mate,  and  it  seemed  almost 
more  than  flesh  and  blood  could  stand  to  un- 
dertake this  additional  labor. 

Harry  and  Mr.  Stubbs  had  a  hurried  con- 
ference. 


Facing   the   World.  175 

"Can't  we  help  at  this  work,  Mr.  Stubbs?" 
asked  Harry.  "The  poor  men  look  utterly  ex- 
hausted." 

"Well  thought  of,  my  boy!  I  am  with  you. 
I  will  speak  to  the  captain." 

But  Mr.  Holdfast,  the  mate,  chanced  to  be 
nearer,  and  to  him  Mr.  Stubbs  put  the  ques- 
tion : 

"Can't  I  help  at  the  pumps?" 

"It  is  hard  work,  sir." 

"I  used  to  turn  grindstone  when  a  boy.  I 
guess  I  can  do  it." 

"And  I,  too,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  put  in  Harry. 

"I  accept  your  offer  with  thanks.  The  men 
are  very  tired." 

So  Harry  and  Mr.  Stubbs  helped  at  this  nec- 
essary work,  and  when  the  professor  and  the 
Melbourne  merchant  heard  of  it  they,  too,  vol- 
unteered. But  Marmaduke  Timmins,  the  vale- 
tudinarian, and  Montgomery  Clinton  felt  quite 
inadequate  to  the  task. 

"My  wretched  health  would  not  allow  of 
any  physical  exertion,"  said  Mr.  Timmins, 
sadly.  "This  storm  makes  me  feel  worse  than 
usual.  I  have  taken  double  doses  of  pills,  but 
it  has  done  me  no  good." 

As  for  Clinton,  no  one  asked  him.  Work 
did  not  appear  to  be  in  his  line. 

"He  hasn't  got  the  strength  of  an  able-bod- 


!76  Facing    the   World. 

ied  cat,"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  "even  at  the  best 
of  times.  Now,  I  should  rate  him  at  about 
one-mouse  power." 

Harry  found  his  work  tiresome  and  fatigu- 
ing, but  he  had  the  comfort  of  feeling  that  he 
was  relieving  the  exhausted  sailors,  and  doing 
something  to  save  his  own  life  and  the  livea 
of  his  companions. 

He  caught  sight  of  poor  Jack,  looking  ready 
to  drop. 

"Jack,  you  must  be  very  tired,"  he  said. 

"If  I  stood  still  I  should  drop  on  the  deck 
fast  asleep,"  said  Jack. 

"Can't  you  lie  down  for  an  hour?  I  am  tak- 
ing your  place." 

Mr.  Holdfast  coming  up  at  this  moment, 
Harry  suggested  this  to  him,  and  the  mate  said 
kindly : 

"Jack,  my  lad,  go  below  and  catch  a  little 
nap.    I  will  call  you  when  I  want  you." 

So  Jack,  much  relieved,  went  below,  and, 
without  a  thought  of  the  danger,  so  fatigued 
was -he,  fell  asleep  the  moment  he  got  into  his 
bunk,  and  was  not  called  up  for  four  hours. 

After  a  while  they  reduced  the  flow  of  water, 
but  ascertained  that  the  ship  was  badly 
strained,  and  by  no  means  safe.  It  was  not  till 
next  day,  however,  that  an  important  decis* 
ion  was  reached.    All  were  called  on  deck. 


Facing    the   World.  177 

"It  is  my  duty  to  tell  you,"  said  Capt.  Hill, 
"that  the  ship  is  so  damaged  by  the  recent 
storm  that  it  is  liable  to  sink  at  any  time. 
Those  who  choose  to  run  the  risk,  may  remain, 
however.  I  propose,  with  such  as  wish  to  join 
me,  to  take  to  the  boats.  I  will  give  you  fif- 
teen minutes  to  decide." 

Excitement  and  dismay  were  painted  on  the 
faces  of  all.  The  ship  might  be  insecure,  but 
to  launch  out  upon  the  great  ocean  in  a  frail 
boat  seemed  to  involve  still  greater  danger. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"who    will   stay?" 

The  decision  was  a  momentous  one.  It 
might  be  death  to  remain  on  the  ship,  but  to 
a  landsman  it  seemed  still  more  perilous  to 
embark  on  an  angry  sea  in  a  frail  boat. 

The  passengers  looked  at  each  other  in  doubt 
and  perplexity. 

They  had  but  fifteen  minutes  in  which  to 
make  up  their  minds. 

The  mate  stood  by,  serious  and  thoughtful. 

"Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  "do  you 
agree  with  the  captain  that  it  is  our  best 
f curse  to  take  to  the  boats?" 


178  Facing    the   World. 

"It  is  hard  to  tell,"  said  the  mate,  cautiously. 

"What  is  your  impression?" 

"I  should  prefer  to  try  the  ship  a  little 
longer.  I  say  so  with  much  diffidence,  since 
the  captain  has  a  longer  experience  than  I." 

"I  don't  think  much  of  your  judgment,  Mr. 
Holdfast,"  said  Capt.  Hill,  in  a  tone  of  con- 
tempt. 

The  mate's  face  flushed — not  so  much  at  the 
words,  as  the  tone, 

"Nevertheless,  Capt.  Hill,"  he  said,  "I  stand 
by  what  I  have  said." 

"Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  who  seemed 
to  speak  for  the  passengers,  "if  some  of  us  de- 
cide to  remain  on  the  ship,  will  you  remain 
with  us?" 

"I  will,"  answered  the  mate,  promptly. 

"Then  set  me  down  as  the  first  to  remain," 
said  Stubbs. 

Somehow,  this  man,  rough  and  abrupt  as 
he  was,  had  impressed  Harry  as  a  man  in 
whom  confidence  might  be  reposed.  He  felt 
safe  in  following  where  he  led. 

"I  am  but  a  boy,"  he  said,  "but  I  have  to  de- 
cide for  my  life.  I  remain  with  the  mate  and 
Mr.  Stubbs." 

Quietly  Stubbs  shook  hands  with  Harry. 

"I  am  glad  to  have  you  with  us,"  he  said, 
earnestly.     "We  will  die  or  live  together." 


Facing    the   World.  179 

Next  came  Prof.  Hemenway, 

"Put  me  down  as  the  third,"  he  said.  "Har- 
ry, we  sailed  together,  and  we  will  remain  to- 
gether to  the  end." 

"I'll  go  in  the  boat,"  said  John  Appleton. 
"I  have  a  great  respect  for  Mr.  Holdfast,  but 
I  defer  to  the  captain's  judgment  as  superior.'^ 

He  went  over  and  ranged  himself  beside  the 
captain. 

"You  are  a  sensible  man,  sir,"  said  Capt. 
Hill,  with  a  scornful  glance  at  the  mate  and 
the  passengers  who  sided  with  hiin..  "Mr 
Holdfast  can  go  down  with  the  ship,  if  he  de- 
sires. I  ptefer  to  cut  loose  from  a  condemned 
vessel." 

Miarmaduke  Timmins,  the  invalid,  looked 
more  sallow  and  nervous  than  ever.  He  had 
swallowed  a  pill  while  the  others  were  speak- 
ing, to  give  himself  confidence. 

"I  will  go  with  the  captain,"  he  said.  "My 
life  is  likely  to  be  short,  for  my  diseases  are 
many,  but  I  owe  it  to  myself  to  do  my  best 
to  save  it." 

"In  deciding  to  go  with  me  you  are  doing 
your  best,  sir,"  said  Capt.  Hill. 

He  had  not  hitherto  paid  much  attention  to 
Mr.  Timmins,  whom  he  looked  upon  as  a  crank 
on  the  subject  of  health,  but  he  was  disposed 
to  look  upon  him  now^  with  more  favor. 


i8o  Facing    the   World. 

At  this  moment  Montgomery  Clinton  ap- 
peared at  the  head  of  the  stairs.  The  poor 
fellow  was  pale,  and  disheveled,  and  tottered 
from  weakness. 

"What's  going  on?"  he  asked,  feebly.  Harry 
took  it  upon  himself  to  explain,  using  as  few 
words  as  possible. 

"Will  you  go  with  the  captain  or  stay  on 
the  Nantucket r^  asked  Harry. 

"Shall  you  stay  on  the  ship,  Mr.  Vane?" 
asked  Clinton,  feebly. 

"Yes." 

"Then  I  will.  Eeally,  I  couldn't  stand  sail- 
ing in  a  little  boat,  you  know.    It's  too  horrid.'* 

"That's  settled,  then!"  said  the  captain. 
^^Into  the  boats  with  you!" 

The  sailors  and  the  two  passengers  lowered 
themselves  into  the  long  boat,  which  was  large 
enough  to  receive  them  all,  till  only  Jack 
Pendleton  and  the  captain  remained. 

"Get  in,  boy!"  said  the  captain,  harshly. 

Jack  stepped  back,  and  said^  manfully:  "I 
will  remain  on  board  the  ship,  sir." 

"Stay,  then !"  said  the  captain,  rounding  up 
the  sentence  with  an  oath. 

"I  am  glad  you  will  remain  with  us.  Jack," 
said  Harry,  smiling  kindly.  "I  don't  want  to 
be  separated  from  you." 

While  this  discussion  had  been  going  on,  the 


Facing   the   World.  Ii8i 

boat  was  being  stored  with  kegs  of  water  and 
provisions,  and  soon  after  the  sailors  began  to 
ply  the  oars. 

The  little  band  that  remained  looked  on  si- 
lently and  solemnly,  as  they  saw  their  late 
companions  borne  farther  and  farther  away 
from  them  on  the  crested  waves. 

•'It's  a  question  which  will  last  longer,  the 
ship  or  the  boat,"  said  Mr.  Holdfast. 

"We  must  work — I  know  that,"  said  Mr. 
Stubbs.  "Capt.  Holdfast,  I  salute  you  as  my 
commander.    Give  me  your  orders." 

"Are  you  all  agreed,  gentlemen?"  asked 
Holdfast. 

"We  are,"  answered  all  except  Montgomery 
Clinton,  who  was  clinging  to  the  side  with  a 
greenish  pallor  on  his  face. 

"Then  I  shall  set  you  to  work  at  the  pumps. 
Jack,  I  assign  you  and  the  professor  to  duty 
first.  You  will  work  an  hour;  then  Mr.  Stubbs 
and  Mr.  Vane  will  relieve  you.  I  will  look 
out  for  the  vessel's  course." 

"I  am  afraid  I  couldn't  pump,"  said  Mont- 
gomery Clinton.  "I  feel  so.  awfully  weak,  you 
know,  I  think  I'm  going  to  die." 

His  slight  form  was  immediately  convulsed, 
and  he  leaned  over  the  side  with  a  woebegone 
look.  When  he  was  relieved,  the  mate  said, 
with  a  slight  smile,  "You  had  better  go  below. 


1 82  Facing   the   World. 

Mr.  Clinton.  You  may  be  fit  for  duty  to-mor- 
row.   To-day  I  will  excuse  you." 

"You're  awfully  kind,  I'm  sure,"  said  poor 
Clinton,  not  forgetting  his  politeness  even  in 
his  anguish.  "If  I'm  alive  to-morrow,  I  hope 
I'll  be  strong  enough  to  pump.  I  used  to 
pump  water  for  my  auntie  when  I  was  a  boy." 

The  poor  fellow,  with  wild,  uncertain  steps, 
staggered  to  the  stairs,  and,  with  the  help  of 
Harry,  who  saw  that  he  was  really  very  weak, 
descended  to  his  cabin. 

"You're  very  kind,  Mr.  Vane,"  he  faltered. 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  feeling  very  miser- 
able, Mr.  Clinton,"  said  Harry,  with  a  touch 
of  genuine  pity.  He  would  not  have  liked  to 
be  so  weak  and  unmanly  as  the  dude,  but  he 
pitied  him,  nevertheless. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Yane,"  said  Clinton,  dolefully.  "I 
don't  expect  to  live  long." 

"We  may  none  of  us  live  long,"  answered 
Harry,  gravely. 

"You're  awfully  strong,  you  know,  compared 
to  me,"  said  Clinton.  "My  grandmother  used 
to  say  I  had  a  girl's  constitution.  If  I  die 
first,  I  leave  jou  all  my  trousers  and  the  rest 
of  my  wardrobe.  I'd  make  a  wdll,  but  I  don't 
feel  like  writing,  you  know." 

Harry  wanted  to  laugh,  but  he  suppressed 
the  inclination. 


Facing   the   World.  183 

"I  doubt  whether  your  trousers  would  fit  me, 
Mr.  Clinton,"  he  said,  "but  it's  very  kind  of 
you,  all  the  same." 

"Don't  mention  it,  Mr.  Vane." 

"But  I  think  you  had  better  make  up  your 
mind  to  live  and  wear  the  trousers  yourself." 

"I  will  try,  but " 

Here  a  lurch  of  the  ship  pitched  him  into  his 
bunk.  Where  Harry  left  him  and  rejoined  his 
fellow  voyagers  on  deck. 

He  looked  out  to  sea  and  saw  the  little  boat 
containing  the  remnant  of  their  company  grow- 
ing smaller  and  smaller.  A  sudden  feeling  of 
loneliness  overcame  him,  and  he  asked  him- 
self, seriously:  "Is  death,  then,  so  near?" 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE     END    OF     THE  CREW. 

The  sea  was  still  rough,  but  the  violence  of 
the  storm  was  past.  In  a  few  hours  the  sur- 
face of  the  sea  was  much  less  agitated.  The 
spirits  of  the  passengers  rose,  especially  after 
learning  from  the  mate  that  he  had  been  able 
to  stop  the  leak,  through  the  experience  which 
he  had  acquired  in  his  younger  days  as  assis- 
tant to  a  ship  carpenter. 


184  Facing   the   World. 

"Then  the  old  ship  is  lil^ely  to  float  a  while 
longer?"  said  Mr.   Stubbs,  cheerfully. 

"Not  a  short  time,  either,  if  the  weather 
continues  favorable." 

"Capt.  Hill  was  in  too  much  of  a  hurry  to 
leave  the  vessel,"  remarked  Harry. 

"Yes,"  answered  Holdfast.  "Such  was  my 
opinion  when  I  thought  the  Nantucket  in  much 
worse  condition  than  at  present.  If  the  cap- 
tain and  sailors  had  remained  on  board,  we 
could  have  continued  our  voyage  to  Melbourne 
without  difficulty." 

"And  now?"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  interroga- 
tively. 

"Now  we  have  no  force  to  man  her.  Little 
Jack  and  myself  are  the  only  sailors  on  board." 

"But  not  the  only  men." 

"That  is  true.  I  think,  however,  that  you 
or  the  professor  would  find  it  rather  hard  to 
spread  or  take  in  sail." 

Mr.  Stubbs  looked  up  into  the  rigging  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"You  are  right,  captain,"  he  said.  "Here 
is  Harry,  now.  He  might  possibly  climb  aloft. 
As  for  me,  it  makes  my  head  swim  to  think 
of  myself  up  there." 

"There  is  Mr.  Clinton,"  suggested  Harry^ 
smiling. 

"He  would  make  a  good  tailor's  dummy,**^ 


Facing   the   World.  185 

said  Mr.  Stubbs.  "I  apprehend  that's  all  he's 
fit  for.    Have  you  formed  any  plans,  captain?" 

"We  must  drift,  I  suppose,"  said  Holdfast. 
^^If  we  could  obtain  even  four  or  five  able  sea- 
men, I  would  continue  the  voyage." 

"Is  there  any  hope  of  that,  do  you  think?" 

"We  might  encounter  some  ship  that  could 
spare  us  that  number,  though  vessels  in  these 
latitudes  seldom  carry  more  men  than  they  re- 
quire for  their  own  needs.  Meanwhile  we  have 
one  comfort." 

"What  is  that?" 

"We  are  plentifully  supplied  with  provis- 
ions. We  shall  not  fall  short  either  of  food 
or  drink." 

The  next  day  Mr.  Clinton  appeared  on  deck. 
He  looked  faded  and  played  out,  but  he  was 
no  longer  the  woebegone  creature  of  a  day  or 
two  previous.  Even  he  turned  out  to  be  of 
use,  for  he  knew  something  about  cooking,  and 
volunteered  to  assist  in  preparing  the  meals, 
the  ship's  cook  having  left  the  ship  with  the 
captain.  Accordingly,  he  rose  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  passengers — having  proved  that 
he  was  not  wholly  a  drone. 

Jack  and  Harry  grew  still  more  intimate. 
The  young  sailor  was  under  no  restraint  now 
that  the  captain  was  not  on  board,  for  with 
the  mate  he  had  always  been  a  favorite. 


1 86  Facing   the   World. 

All  efforts  were  made  to  keep  tlie  ship  on 
her  course.  They  could  not  put  up  all  the  sailS;^ 
however,  and  made  but  slow  progress.  They 
did  little  but  drift.  Nor  did  they  encounter 
any  other  vessels  for  several  days,  so  that  there 
was  no  chance  of  obtaining  the  desired  assis- 
tance. 

"I  wonder  where  it  will  all  end,  Jack?"  said 
Harry,  one  evening. 

"I  don't  trouble  myself  much  about  that, 
Harry,"  said  the  young  sailor.  "I  am  content 
as  I  am." 

"Don't  you  look  ahead,  then?" 

"I  am  happy  with  you  and  the  few  we  have 
on  board.  They  are  all  kind  to  me;  what 
more  do  I  need?" 

"I  can't  be  contented  so  easily.  Jack.  I  hope 
there  is  a  long  life  before  us.  Here  we  are, 
making  no  progress.  We  are  doing  nothing 
to  advance  ourselves." 

But  this  did  not  make  much  impression  on 
Jack.  He  did  not  look  beyond  the  present, 
and  so  that  this  was  comfortable,  he  left  th(i 
future  to  look  out  for  itself. 

"What  do  you  think  has  become  of  Capt. 
Hill  and  his  companions,  Mr.  Holdfast?"  asked 
Mr.  Stubbs,  on  the  third  evening  after  the 
separation. 

"He  is  probably  still  afloat,  unless  he  has 


Facing   the   World.  187 

been  fortunate  enougli  to  be  picked  up  by 
some  vessel." 

"Do  you  think  that  probable?" 

"It  is  possible,  but  the  ocean  is  wide,  and 
there  is  plenty  of  chance  to  escape  observa- 
tion." 

"Speaking  plainly,  do  you  think  his  chance 
of  a  safe  deliverance  as  good  as  ours?" 

"No,  I  do  not,"  answered  the  mate,  promptly. 
^'If  I  did,  I  should  favor  our  taking  the  re- 
maining boat,  and  following  his  example." 

"You  don't  favor  this?" 

"No;  here  we  have  a  good  stock  of  provis- 
ions, far  more  comfortable  accommodations 
and  are  more  likely,  from  our  size,  to  attract 
attention." 

"There  is  no  hope  of  reaching  land  in  the 
Nantucket y  is  there?"  continued  Mr.  Stubbs. 

"There  is  considerable  fear  of  it,"  said  the 
mate. 

"Why  do  you  use  the  word  fear?"  asked 
^tubbs,  puzzled. 

"What  I  mean  is,  that  we  are  likely  to  run 
aground  upon  some  unknown  island.  If  the 
shore  is  rocky,  it  may  break  us  to  pieces,  and 
that,  of  course,  will  be  attended  with  danger 
to  life  or  limb." 

Stubbs  looked  thoughtful. 

"I  should  like  to  see  land,"  he  said,  "but  I 


1 88  Facing    the    World. 

wouldn't  like  to  land  in  that  way.  It  reminds 
me  of  an  old  lady  who,  traveling  by  cars  for 
the  first  time,  was  upset  in  a  collision.  As  she 
crawled  out  of  the  window,  she  asked,  inno- 
cently :  'Do  you  always  stop  this  way?'  " 

"There  are  dangers  on  land  as  well  as  on 
sea,"  said  the  mate,  "as  your  story  proves, 
though  one  is  not  so  likely  to  realize  them. 
In  our  present  circumstances,  there  is  one 
thing  I  earnestly  hope  for." 

"What  is  that?" 

"That  we  may  not  have  another  storm.  I 
fear,  in  her  dismantled  condition,  the  Nan- 
tucket would  have  a  poor  chance  of  outliving 
it,  particularly  as  we  have  no  one  but  Jack 
and  myself  to  do  seamen's  work." 

Mr.  Stubbs  walked  thoughtfully  away. 

Harry,  who  had  seen  him  talking  with  the 
mate,  asked  him  the  nature  of  the  conversa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Stubbs  told  him. 

"The  fact  is,  Harry,"  he  said,  "we  are  in  a 
critical  condition.  Whether  we  are  ever  to 
see  old  terry  firmy  again" — Mr.  Stubbs  was  not 
a  classical  scholar — "seems  a  matter  of  doubt.'' 

"And  the  worst  of  it  is,"  said  Harry,  "there 
seems  to  be  nothing  you  and  I  can  do  to  in- 
crease our  chances  of  safety." 

"No,  unless  we  could  manage  to  see  a  ship 


Facing   the   World.  189 

which  the  chief  officer  had  overlooked.  That, 
I  take  it,  is  not  very  likely.  I  don't  care 
so  much  about  being  lost  for  my  own  sake." 

"What,  then?"  asked  Harry,  puzzled. 

"It's  when  I  think  of  what  the  world  will 
lose  by  my  invention,"  explained  Stubbs, 
gravely.  "I  tell  you,  Harry  Vane,  it's  going  to 
revolutionize  the  world." 

"What  is  it?"  Harry  naturally  inquired. 

"That  would  be  telling,"  answered  Stubbs, 
shrewdly.  "I  am  not  prepared  to  make  known 
my  discovery  yet.  If  I  did,  ten  to  one  some 
other  fellow  would  seize  the  idea,  and  get  the 
start  of  me.  I  want  to  reap  the  advantage  of 
it  myself." 

"Why  didn't  you  develop  it  in  America,  Mr. 
Stubbs?" 

"Because  I  got  no  encouragement.  Besides, 
I  was  afraid  it  would  be  stolen.  My  country- 
men are  sharp.  In  Australia  it  would  be  dif- 
ferent. Something  told  me  that  there  was  the 
place  to  try  it,  so  I  took  passage  on  the  "Nau' 
tucket,  and  here  I  am." 

"I  suppose  you'd  rather  be  somewhere  else," 
said  Harry,  smiling. 

"I  don't  mind  owning  up  that  I  would.  But 
it  can't  be  helped  now — I  must  grin  and  bear 
it." 

It  was  toward  morning  of  the  fifth  night 


190  Facing    the   World. 

after  the  captain  had  left  the  ship  that  all 
on  board  were  startled  by  a  mighty  thumping, 
accompanied  by  a  shock  that  threw  the  sleep- 
ers out  of  bed. 

Harry  ran  hastily  on  deck.  The  mate  was 
there  already. 

"What's  happened,  Mr.  Holdfast?" asked  the 
boy,  anxiously. 

"The  ship  has  struck  on  a  rocky  ledge." 

"Are  we  in  danger?' 

"In  great  danger.  Call  all  the  passengers. 
We  must  take  to  the  boat,  for  the  Nantucket 
is  doomed!" 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  WEECK  OF  THE  "NANTUCKET." 

It  was  still  quite  dark,  but  it  was  light 
enough  to  see  that  the  ship  had  struck  upon  a 
reef.  Straining  their  eyes,  the  alarmed  pas- 
sengers could  descry  land.  Indeed,  the  reef 
was  an  outlying  part  of  it. 

All  eyes  were  turned  upon  the  captain,  as 
Mr.  Holdfast  was  now  called. 

"If  I  had  had  men  enough  to  stand  watch, 
this  would  not  have  happened,"  he  said. 

"Is  there  any  hope,  Mr.  Holdfast''"  asked 


Facing   the   World.  191 

Montgomery  Clinton,  clasping  his  hands  in 
terror. 

"Plenty  of  it,"  answered  the  mate,  curtly, 
"but  we  must  leave  the  ship." 

Under  his  direction  the  remaining  boat — ■ 
for  Capt.  Hill  and  his  companions  had  only 
taken  away  one — was  lowered.  Steering  clear 
of  the  reef,  they  found  themselves  in  a  cove, 
bordered  on  three  sides  by  land.  By  the  light, 
now  rapidly  increasing,  they  saw  grass  and 
trees,  and  the  sight  gladdened  them  in  spite 
of  the  grave  peril  that  menaced  them. 

"Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Clinton,  anxiously, 
"won't  you  let  me  go  back  for  my  wardrobe? 
I  can't  get  along  without  that,  don't  you 
know?" 

"I  don't  think  it's  the  fashion  to  wear  clothes 
here,  Mr.  Clinton,"  said  the  mate,  his  eye 
twinkling.    "You'll  be  sure  to  be  in  fashion." 

"But  that's  horrid,  you  know.  I  assure  you 
I  don't  care  to  imitate  the  natives." 

"Provisions  are  of  the  first  importance,  Mr. 
Clinton,"  said  Holdfast,  seriously.  "After 
that,  we  will  save  what  we  can." 

They  put  on  the  boat  as  large  a  supply  of 
stores  as  they  dared,  and  then  rowed  ashore. 
Landing  the  passengers.  Holdfast  selected 
Uack  and  Harry,  and  went  back  to  the  ship 
for  a  further  supply. 


192  Facing   the   World. 

"We  must  lay  in  as  much  as  we  can,  for  we 
don't  know  how  long  we  are  to  remain  here," 
he  said. 

When  the  second  trip  had  been  made,  it 
was  decided  to  rest  for  a  time,  and  eat  break- 
fast. 

The  little  group  gathered  on  a  bluff  looking 
out  to  sea,  and  sitting  down,  ate  heartily.  By 
this  time  the  sun  had  made  its  appearance,  and 
it  bade  fair  to  be  a  pleasant  day. 

"Have  you  any  idea  where  we  are,  Mr.  Hold- 
fast?" asked  Mr.  Stubbs. 

"I  only  know  that  we  are  on  an  island. 
There  is  no  mainland  here,"  answered  the  com- 
mander. 

"It  seems  to  be  a  large  one,  then.  While 
you  were  gone  with  the  boys,  I  ascended  a  tree, 
and  looking  inland,  could  not  see  the  ocean  in 
that  direction." 

"What  tree  did  you  climb?"  asked  Harry. 
\    Mr.  Stubbs  pointed  it  out. 

"There's  another  one  higher  and  on  higher 
ground.  Mr.  Clinton,  won't  you  climb  it,  and 
see  what  you  can  discover?"  asked  Harry,  mis- 
chievously. 

"Keally,  Mr.  Vane,"  answered  Clinton,  in 
great  trepidation,  "I  couldn't  think  of  it.  I 
am  quite  sure  I  should  tear  my  trousers,  and 
they  are  the  only  ones  I  have  here.     I  wish 


Facing   the   World.  193 

the  captain  would  let  me  go  to  the  ship  and  get 
the  balance  of  my  wardrobe." 

"Do  you  think  you  could  manage  this  boat 
alone,  Mr.  Clinton?"  asked  the  mate. 

"Good  gracious,  no.  Perhaps  Mr.  Vane 
"would  go  with  me." 

"I  feel  like  exploring  the  island,"  said  Har- 
ry; "who  will  go  with  me?" 

Curious  to  see  what  kind  of  a  new  home 
they  had,  all  set  out.  First,  however,  the  pro- 
fessor asked : 

"How  long  before  the  ship  is  likely  to  go  to 
pieces,  Mr.  Holdfast?" 

"Not  under  a  day  or  two  in  this  weather," 
was  the  answer.  "Later  in  the  day  I  will 
board  her  again." 

They  struck  inland  and  walked  for  about 
two  miles.  There  were  trees  and  plants  such 
as  they  had  never  seen  before,  and  the  songs 
of  unknown  birds  floated  out  upon  the  air. 
It  was  certainly  a  delightful  change  from  the 
contracted  life  they  had  been  leading  upon 
shipboard. 

"Do  you  think  the  island  inhabited?"  asked 
Harry. 

"I  know  no  more  about  it  than  you  do,  my 
lad,"  answered  Holdfast. 

"Suppose  we  should  meet  with  a  pack  of 
savages  armed  with  spears !"  suggested  Harry, 


194  Facing   the   World. 

with  a  side  look  at  Clinton,  who  was  walking 
by  him. 

"Oh,  good  gracious!  Mr.  Holdfast,  do  you 
think  we  will?"  asked  that  young  gentleman, 
nervously. 

"We  must  do  the  best  we  can.  I  take  it  we 
are  all  brave,  and  would  be  willing  to  fight." 

"Certainly,"  said  Harry;  "I  can  answer  for 
Mr.  Clinton  and  myself." 

"Oh!  but  really,  now,  I  don't  think  I  could 
fight  with  savages,  you  know,"  said  Clinton, 
turning  pale.  "We'd  better  go  back,  don't  you 
know." 

"You  can  go  back,  Mr.  Clinton,"  said  Mr. 
Stubbs.    "As  for  me,  I  am  going  forward." 

"But  I  shouldn't  dare  to  go  back  alone. 
They  might  surprise  me,  you  know." 

"I  am  quite  sure  you  would  surprise  them, 
Mr.  Clinton,"  said  the  professor,  smiling. 

"Do  you  think  so,  really?"  said  the  dude, 
not  understanding  the  significance  of  the  re- 
mark. 

"I  am  sure  of  it." 

"Won't  you  go  back  with  me,  Mr.  Vane?" 

"No,  Mr.  Clinton;  I  am  curious  to  explore 
our  new  home." 

"I  wish  I  was  back  in  Brooklyn,"  sighed 
Clinton. 

"I  should  rather  be  there  myself,"  said  Har- 


Facing   the   World.  195 

ry.  "Yet,  if  I  were  only  sure  of  it,  I  should  not 
jnind  staying  here  a  while." 

"I  wonder,"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  reflectively, 
"if  anyone  were  ever  shipwrecked  on  this  isl- 
and before." 

"I  think  it  quite  likely,"  said  the  mate.  "It 
is,  it  seems,  pretty  large.  If  it  were  located 
within  a  convenient  distance  of  New  York, 
I  should  not  be  surprised  if  it  were  a  favorite 
summer  resort." 

"I  am  afraid,  Harry,"  said  the  professor, 
"that  it  will  hardly  pay  to  give  one  of  my 
magical  entertainments  here." 

"Unless  the  island  should  be  inhabited,"  sug- 
gested Harry. 

"Even  in  that  case,  I  doubt  whether  the  en- 
tertainment w^ould  be  within  the  comprehen- 
sion of  the  dusky  savages  who  might  be  found 
here." 

"Think,  Mr.  Clinton,"  said  Harry,  "how  the 
dusky  maidens  would  admire  you!  I  am  not 
sure  but  they  might  fight  among  themselves 
for  your  favor." 

The  young  man  from  Brooklyn  didn't  ap- 
pear flattered  by  the  suggestion. 

"I  admire  the  fair  sex,  I  admit,"  he  said, 
"but  when  it  comes  to  copper-colored  savages, 
I  would  rather  be  excused,  don't  you  know? 
I  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  young  ladies 


196  Facing    the   World. 

of  Brooklyn,  and  had  no  end  of  invitations  to 
parties.  If  they  could  only  see  me  now!"  he 
concluded,  with  a  sigh. 

After  a  considerable  walk,  they  reached  a 
grove  of  trees,  bearing  a  different  leaf  from 
any  to  which  they  were  accustomed.  They  did 
not  appear  to  produce  fruit  of  any  kind,  but 
were  comely  and  afforded  a  grateful  shade. 
This  was  the  more  appreciated,  because  the  sun 
had  begun  to  make  its  heat  felt,  and  a  feeling 
of  languor  diffused  itself  over  all. 

"I  move  w^e  squat  here  a  while,"  said  Mr. 
Stubbs,  quaintly. 

"Very  well,"  said  the  mate.  "We  have  all 
day  before  us,  and  I  am  afraid  a  great  many 
to  come,  in  which  we  may  explore  the  island." 

All  threw  themselves  on  the  grass  without 
ceremony,  except  Mr.  Clinton,  who  carefully 
drew  from  his  pocket  a  linen  handkerchief, 
and  spread  it  out  to  sit  upon. 

Harry  smiled. 

"You  are  more  careful  than  the  rest  of  us, 
Mr.  Clinton,"  he  said. 

"I  don't  want  to  soil  my  trousers,"  said  Clin- 
ton. 

"Especially  as  you  don't  know  when  you  can 
get  another  pair,"  suggested  Stubbs.  "Keally, 
my  young  friend,  I  am  a  little  curious  as  to 
how  we  will  all  be  looking  a  year  hence,  if  we 


Facing   the   World.  197 

stay  here  as  long.  Ten  to  one  we  shall  have 
to  extemporize  new  garments  of  sailcloth." 

"Oh !  Mr.  Stubbs,  don't  mention  such  a  hor- 
rid thing,"  said  Clinton,  with  an  expression 
of  anguish. 

"I  think  you  would  look  rather  picturesque, 
Mr.  Clinton,  in  a  sailcloth  suit,"  said  Harry, 
smiling  mischievously. 

All  laughed  except  Clinton,  to  whom  the 
subject  was  a  very  solemn  one. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

PREPARING     A     HOME. 

They  returned  to  the  shore  about  noon,  and 
sitting  down  on  the  bluff,  ate  heartily  of  the 
stores  they  had  brought  with  them  from  the 
ship.  They  had  brought  no  water,  but,  fortu- 
nately, discovered  a  spring  on  their  homeward 
walk,  which  promised  a  constant  supply  of 
refreshing  drink. 

"This  seems  like  a  picnic,"  said  Harry,  as 
they  sat  down  on  the  grass  with  the  food  in 
the  center. 

"I  am  afraid  that  it  will  prove  a  larger  pic- 
nic than  we  care  for,"  remarked  the  professor. 


198  Facing    the   World, 

"Speaking  of  picnics,"  said  Mr.  Clinton,  "re- 
minds me  of  this  time  last  year.  I  was  so- 
journing in  the  country.  I  went  to  a  picnic 
with  two  beautiful  creatures.  'Pon  my  word, 
they  actually  got  jealous  of  each  other.  Each 
thought  I  liked  the  other  the  best.  I  found  it 
very  embarrassing,  don't  you  know." 

"I  should  think  you  would,"  said  Harry, 
smiling.    "How  did  it  turn  out?" 

"Th"ere  was  a  small  lake  in  the  picnic 
grounds,  and  they  insisted  on  my  taking  them 
out  in  a  rowboat." 

"Of  course  you  did." 

"Certainly.  I  couldn't  refuse,  don't  you 
know." 

"Did  you  row,  or  they?"  asked  Mr.  Stubbs. 

"Well,  you  see,  they  wanted  to  row,  and  I 
let  them.  After  a  while  one  of  them  asked  me 
a  very  embarrassing  question." 

"What  was  it?" 

"She  asked :  'Suppose  the  boat  was  to  upset, 
Mr.  Clinton,  which  of  us  would  you  save, 
Sarah  or  me?'  But  she  didn't  catch  me.  I 
answered :  'I  shouldn't  know  which  to  choose, 
and  so  I  think  I  should  save  myself.'  " 

"How  did  that  answer  suit  her?" 

"She  got  mad — some  girls  are  so  unreason- 
able, don't  you  knoY>'?  But  then,  if  I  had  said 
I  would  save  her,  Sarah  would  have  been  mad." 


Facing    the   World.  199 

All  laughed  at  Mr.  Clinton's  reminiscence, 
but  he  sighed  sadly  as  he  thought  of  the  happy 
past,  and  contrasted  with  it  the  unpromising 
present. 

When  dinner  was  over,  if  their  informal 
meal  can  be  dignified  by  the  name,  Mr.  Hold- 
fast said: 

"I  think  we  had  better  make  another  trip 
to  the  ship,  and  bring  back  what  we  can.  We 
shall  need  a  further  supply  of  provisions,  and 
there  will  be  other  things  that  will  occur  to 
us  as  likely  to  be  needed." 

"Won't  you  bring  my  wardrobe,  Mr.  Hold- 
fast?" asked  Clinton,  anxiously.  "I  want  to 
put  on  my  striped  trousers." 

"Your  wardrobe  can  wait,  Mr.  Clinton," 
said  Holdfast,  curtly.  "There  are  plenty  of 
things  we  need  more  than  trousers." 

"May  I  go  with  you,  Mr.  Holdfast?"  asked 
Harry. 

"Yes,"  answered  the  mate;  "I  will  take  you 
and  Jack,  and  Mr.  Stubbs,  too,  may  come,  if 
he  will." 

"I  am  quite  at  your  command,  captain," 
said  the  Yankee. 

"Then  you  don't  want  me?"  said  Prof.  Hem- 
enway,  good-naturedly. 

"You  are  rather  stout,  professor,  and  a  little 
clumsy.    Perhaps  you  will  be  kind  enough  to 


200  Facing   the   World. 

remain  with  Mr.  Clinton  and  entertain  him.'' 

"He  is  more  likely  to  entertain  me,"  said 
the  magician,  smiling 

"You  are  awfully  kind,  professor,"  said 
Clinton,  who  took  the  remark  in  a  compli- 
mentary sense. 

"Not  at  all,"  was  the  professor's  smiling  dis- 
claimer. 

Nothing  suited  Harry  better  than  to  make 
one  of  the  expedition.  He  and  Jack  clambered 
up  the  ship's  sides,  and  chased  each  other  with 
boyish  fun.  Jack  had  no  fear  of  a  stern  re- 
buke from  Mr.  Holdfast,  who  had  a  sympathy 
"with  the  young.  He  would  not  have  dared  to 
take  such  liberties  with  Capt.  Hill. 

"How  long  do  you  think  the  ship  will  hold 
together,  Mr.  Holdfast?"  asked  Stubbs. 

"For  a  week,  perhaps,  unless  the  sea  becomes 
rough,  and  dashes  her  against  the  reef  with  vio- 
lence." 

"At  present  she  seems  motionless." 

"Yes,  she  is  not  at  present  receiving  any 
^damage.  It  will  be  a  sad  day  when  she  goes 
to  pieces,"  continued  the  mate,  gravely. 

"Yes,  but  it  will  hardly  make  our  position 
worse.  There  is  no  chance  of  our  making  any 
use  of  her,  I  take  it." 

"You  don't  quite  understand  me,"  said  Hold- 
fast.   "A  sailor  gets  to  feel  an  attachment  for 


Facing   the   World.  201 

the  craft  he  sails  on,  and  she  seems  to  him 
something  like  a  living  creature.  This  is  my 
first  voyage  on  the  old  Nantucket,  but  it  will 
grieve  me  to  «ee  her  disappear." 

"You  take  a  romantic  view  of  it,  captain. 
Never  having  been  a  sailor,  I  can't  quite  show 
your  feelings.  Still,  I  shall  feel  rather  lonely 
when  the  old  hulk  collapses.  It'll  be  breaking 
the  last  tie  that  connects  us  with  home  and 
friends,  as  it  were." 

It  was  not  easy  to  decide  of  what  the  boat's 
load  should  consist.  In  the  main,  provisions 
were  taken  as  an  article  of  first  necessity. 
Some  clothing,  also,  was  selected,  and  among 
the  rest,  at  Harry's  instance,  an  extra  pair  of 
Mr.  Clinton's  trousers. 

Stubbs  and  Holdfast  laughed  when  Harry 
came  up  from  below  with  them  hanging  over 
his  arm. 

"There  are  other  articles  of  more  conse- 
quence," said  the  mate. 

"Not  to  him,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  replied  Harry^ 

"He  wants  to  be  a  dude  even  on  a  desert 
island,"  said  Stubbs,  shrugging  his  shoulders. 

"I  may  take  them,  may  I  not,  Mr.  Hold- 
fast?" 

"Yes,  if  you  like.  They  seem  to  be  what  he 
most  cares  for." 

Great   was   the   delight   of   Clinton   when 


202  Facing    the   World. 

Harry  stepped  out  of  the  boat  with  his  beloved 
trousers  in  his  hands. 

"You  are  awfully  kind,  Mr.  Vane,"  he  said. 
"They  are  my  nicest  pair,  too.  I  paid  fifteen 
dollars  for  them." 

"Very  suitable  to  wear  here,  Mr.  Clinton," 
remarked  IMr.  Stubbs.  "It  is  a  pity  there  are 
not  more  people  to  admire  them." 

"It's  a  satisfaction  to  be  well  dressed  even 
if  you  are  alone,"  observed  Clinton,  gazing  at 
his  trousers  with  rapture. 

"I  never  cared  much  for  clothes,"  said 
Stubbs. 

"I  shouldn't  think  he  did,"  said  Clinton  af- 
terwards, in  confidence  to  Harry.  "Have  you 
noticed  how  baggy  and  shapeless  his  trousers 
are?  Really,  1  think  he  must  have  employed 
Noah's  tailor.  They  look  as  if  they  came  out 
of  the  ark,  don't  you  know." 

It  was  decided  not  to  make  another  trip  to 
the  ship  that  day.  Mr.  Holdfast  expressed 
the  opinion  that  the  'Nantuclcet  was  not  in  any 
immediate  danger  of  going  to  pieces,  and  there 
was  other  work  in  hand. 

"Do  you  know  anything  about  the  climate 
here,  Mr.  Holdfast?"  asked  the  professor. 

"I  don't  think  it  is  ever  cold.  It  is  too  far 
south  for  that." 

"I  mean  as  to  the  chance  of  rain.    I  am  told 


Facing   the   World.  203 

that  in  these  tropical  places,  the  rain  comes 
on  very  suddenly  at  times." 

"I  suspect  this  is  the  dry  season,  professor.'* 

"Still,  it  may  be  wise  to  provide  ourselves 
with  some  shelter." 

"True;  have  you  anything  to  suggest?" 

"It  occurred  to  me  that  we  might  procure 
some  of  the  sails,  and  use  as  a  roof  covering, 
to  shield  us  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  from 
any  unexpected  showers." 

"A  very  good  idea.  I  am  glad  you  mentioned 
it.  On  the  whole,  I  think  I  will  make  one  more 
trip  to  the  ship  this  afternoon  for  the  special 
purpose  of  bringing  back  materials  for  a  roof. 
Then  we  can  put  it  up  to-night." 

"Better  bring  hatchets,  if  there  are  any  on 
board,  some  nails  and  cordage." 

"Also  well  thought  of.  You  are  a  practical 
man,  professor." 

"We  shall  all  have  to  think  of  the  general 
benefit.  I  am  sorry  I  can't  do  more  work,  but 
I  never  was  handy  with  tools." 

"I  am,"  said  Stubbs.  "In  fact,  most  Yan- 
kees are,  and  I  am  a  Yankee.  You  can  com- 
mand my  services,  Mr.  Holdfast,  in  any  way 
that  you  see  fit." 

Mr.  Holdfast  made  another  trip  to  the  ves- 
sel, and  brought  back  quite  an  expanse  of 
sailcloth.     All  hands,  with  the  exception  of 


204  Facing    the   World. 

Mr.  Clinton,  went  to  work  at  once,  and  by  sun- 
set a  considerable  space  was  roofed  over,  which 
the  little  company  regarded  with  complacency. 

"Aren't  you  going  to  have  any  sides  or 
doors?"  asked  Clinton. 

"That  can  be  considered  hereafter,"  said 
Holdfast.  "I  don't  think  we  shall  need  any, 
since  the  probability  is  that  the  island  is  not 
inhabited." 

The  next  morning  a  great  surprise  awaited 
them. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

AN     UNEXPECTED     ARRIVAL. 

It  might  have  been  because  it  was  the  first 
night  on  land,  or  perhaps  because  they  were 
unusually  fatigued,  but  at  any  rate  the  little 
party  slept  unusually  late.  The  first  one  to 
awake  was  Harry  Yane.  It  took  very  little 
time  for  him  to  dress,  since  he  had  only  taken  . 
off  his  coat.  He  glanced  at  his  slumbering  i 
companions,  who  were  scattered  about  in  dif- 
ferent postures.  Next  to  him  was  Montgom- 
ery Clinton,  who  had  carefully  placed  two 
handkerchiefs  underneath  him  lest  his  ap- 
parel should  be  soiled  by  contact  with  the 


Facing   the   World.  205 

earth.  He  liad  been  rather  reluctant  to  sleep 
in  so  unconventional  a  manner,  but  there  waa 
no  help  for  it. 

"Really,  Mr.  Vane,"  he  said,  "I  never  slept 
on  the  ground  before.  I  don't  know  what  my 
dear  auntie  would  say  if  she  could  see  me  now. 
She  always  gave  me  a  nice  bed  with  linen 
sheets,  don't  you  know,  and  was  so  particular 
that  I  was  made  comfortable." 

"It  won't  do  us  any  harm  to  rough  it  a 
little,  Mr.  Clinton,"  said  Harry.  "It  will 
make  men  of  us." 

"I  don't  care  about  roughing  it,'^  said  Clin- 
ton, rather  mournfully.  "It's  horribly  uncom- 
fortable, and  I  don't  see  the  good  of  it." 

"I  don't  think  you'll  find  any  linen  sheets 
on  the  island,"  said  Harry,  smiling,  "unless 
you  put  one  handkerchief  on  the  grass,  and 
spread  the  other  over  you." 

"That's  a  good  idea,  Mr.  Vane.  I'm  awfully 
obliged.  I'll  put  two  handkerchiefs  on  the 
grass  and  that  will  save  my  trousers  from  be- 
ing soiled." 

'  Harry  could  not  help  wondering  how  long 
Clinton  would  be  able  to  be  so  particular  about 
his  appearance,  but  he  did  not  harrow  up  that 
young  gentleman's  feelings  by  a  prediction  as 
to  the  future. 

"I'll  go  up  to  the  spring,  and  have  a  wash," 


i2o6  Facing   the   World. 

[Harry  decided.  "I  won't  wake  anybody,  for 
[there's  no  hurry  about  getting  up." 

Returning  from  the  spring,  Harry  for  the 
first  time  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  ship. 
[What  he  saw  filled  him  with  amazement.  The 
wreck,  which  he  had  thought  deserted,  was 
alive  with  men.  He  saw  a  dozen  on  deck,  in- 
cluding two  who  were  obviously  not  sailors. 
He  could  not  immediately  discern  the  figures^ 
and  ran  hastily  to  the  top  of  the  bluff.  Then 
lie  made  the  startling  discovery  that  these  in- 
truders were  the  captain  and  his  companions^ 
who  had  abandoned  the  ship  in  the  expectation 
that  it  was  doomed,  and  after  floating  about 
in  the  long  boat  had  by  a  wonderful  coinci- 
dence drifted  to  the  very  point  which  they 
themselves  had  reached, 

Harry  did  not  know  whether  to  be  glad  or 
sorry.  He  felt  that  there  was  likely  to  be  an- 
tagonism between  the  two  parties.  All  was 
harmony  at  present  under  the  management  of 
Mr.  Holdfast,  but  this  was  not  likely  to  last. 
jWould  the  captain  assume  general  command, 
and  interfere  with  their  arrangements?  From 
.what  he  knew  of  him,  he  thought  it  likely.  Of 
course  he  was  glad  that  the  chief  officer  and 
ills  companions  were  saved,  but  he  would  have 
preferred  that  they  had  drifted  in  some  other 
idirection. 


Facing    the   World.  207 

The  news  was  too  important  to  keep,  and 
he  returned  to  their  encampment,  and  entering, 
approached  the  mate,  who  was  sleeping  very 
soundly.  He  leaned  over  and  shook  him 
gently. 

"Mr.  Holdfast!"  he  cried. 

The  mate  slowly  opened  his  eyes  and  started 
up. 

"What's  the  matter?"  he  asked.  "Has  any- 
thing happened?" 

"I've  got  great  news  for  you,  Mr.  Holdfast. 
Capt.  Hill  has  arrived." 

"What !"  exclaimed  the  mate,  in  amazement. 
"Arrived — where?" 

"He  is  at  this  moment  on  the  Nantucket, 
with  all  the  men  that  accompanied  him  in  the 
long  boat." 

Uttering  an  exclamation  of  amazement,  Mr. 
Holdfast  sprang  to  the  ground,  and  hastily 
made  his  way  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff. 

"By  Jove!"  said  he,  "you're  right.  I  never 
heard  of  anything  more  wonderful." 

Harry  could  not  tell  from  the  expression 
of  his  face  whether  he  considered  the  news 
good  or  not. 

"Go  and  wake  up  the  rest,  Harry,"  he  said. 
"They  will  be  surprised,  too." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  news  produced 
surprise  -and  excitement.    All  hurried  to  th& 


2o8  Facing    the   World. 

edge  of  the  bluff,  and  Mr.  Clinton^  in  his  ex- 
citement, waved  one  of  his  extemporized 
sheets. 

"There's  that  fool  again!"  said  Capt.  Hill, 
as,  looking  shorewards,  he  observed  this  sig- 
nal. 

It  was  fortunate  for  Mr.  Clinton  that  he  did 
not  hear  this  remark. 

"Will  they  come  on  shore,  do  you  think ?'^ 
asked  Harry,  of  the  mate. 

"They  will  have  to;  but  I  shall  at  once  go 
out  to  the  ship  to  report  to  my  superior  officer. 
You  and  Jack  may  go  with  me." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  both  boys  were 
very  glad  to  accept  this  invitation.  The  rest 
of  the  party  remained  on  shore  and  watched 
the  boat's  course. 

"What  will  be  the  issue  of  this,  Mr.  Stubbs?" 
asked  the  professor,  thoughtfully. 

"I  am  afraid  there  will  be  friction.  The  cap- 
tain is  a  natural  despot,  and  he  will  undertake 
to  control  us." 

"He  can  have  no  authority  after  the  ship 
is  wrecked." 

"He  will  claim  it  as  sure  as  my  name  is 
Stubbs.  The  fact  is,  I  am  rather  sorry  he  had 
not  managed  to  drift  to  another  island.  Mr. 
Holdfast"  is  a  much  more  agreeable  man  to 
deal  with." 


Facing   the   World.  209 

"I  agree  with  you.  As  a  passenger,  I  shall 
not  recognize  the  captain's  authority  on 
shore." 

"Nor  I." 

Meanwhile,  the  mate  and  the  two  boys  had 
pulled  to  the  ship,  and  securing  the  boat^ 
scrambled  on  deck. 

"Good-morning,  Capt.  Hill;  I  am  glad  ta 
meet  you  once  more,"  said  the  mate. 

"Humph!"  growled  the  captain,  not  over 
politely.    "When  did  you  reach  here?" 

"Yesterday  morning." 

"Where  are  the  rest  of  your  party?" 

"We  have  a  little  camp  just  back  of  the 
blufe." 

"I  see  you  have  been  removing  articles  from 
the  ship,"  continued  the  captain,  in  a  tone  of 
disapproval. 

"Certainly,"  answered  the  mate.  "We  need 
them,  and  I  didn't  know  how  long  the  ship 
would  last." 

"It  seems  in  no  immediate  danger  of  going 
to  pieces." 

"Things  look  more  favorable  than  they  did 
yesterday  morning.  What  sort  of  a  trip  did 
you  have  in  the  boat?" 

"A  curious  question  to  ask,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, captiously.  "We  were  in  danger  of  be- 
ing swamped  more  than  once." 


210  Facing    the    World. 

"We  had  better  have  remained  on  board  the 
Nantucket  with  you,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Ap- 
pleton,  the  Melbourne  merchant. 

Capt.  Hill  chose  to  take  offense  at  thia 
remark. 

"You  were  quite  at  liberty  to  stay,  Mr.  Ap- 
pleton,"  he  said.  "I  didn't  urge  you  to  go 
with  me." 

"True,  Capt.  Hill;  but  I  trusted  to  your 
opinion  that  the  ship  was  unsafe." 

The  -captain  looked  angry,  but  did  not  make 
any  reply. 

By  the  sailors,  Mr.  Holdfast  was  warmly 
greeted.  He  was  much  better  liked  than  the 
captain,  being  a  man  of  even  temper,  and  rea- 
sonable in  his  demands. 

"Good-morning,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Marma- 
duke  Timmins,  the  valetudinarian.  "I  am 
glad  to  be  out  of  that  miserable  boat." 

"Then  you  didn't  have  a  good  time." 

"I  came  near  dying,  sir.  I  managed  to 
lose  overboard  all  the  pills  and  powders  I 
carried  with  me,  and,  if  you  will  believe  it, 
I  haven't  taken  any  medicine  for  four  entire 
days." 

"You  don't  seem  any  the  worse  for  it,  that  I 
can  see.    Indeed,  you  seem  to  be  less  sallow." 

Mr.  Timmins  shook  his  head  in  a  melan- 
choly way. 


Facing   the   World.  211 

"You  can't  depend  upon  surface  indica- 
tions," he  said.  "I  feel" — striking  his  breast 
— "that  I  am  worse,  much  worse." 

"I  hope,  then,  you  have  more  pills  on  board," 
said  the  mate,  politely. 

"Yes,  fortunately.  I  could  not  have  lived 
long  without  them." 

"That  man  is  a  greater  fool  than  Clinton," 
thought  Holdfast.  "One  poisons  himself  with 
drugs,  while  the  other  only  indulges  a  little 
harmless  vanitv." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  "NANTUCKET.'* 

Though  the  mate  had  removed  some  of  t^e 
stores,  much  the  larger  portion  was  left  on 
board,  for  the  Xantucket  had  been  provisioned 
for  a  long  voyage.  Yet  Capt.  Hill  saw  fit  to 
complain. 

"It  is  fortunate  that  you  didn't  take  all  the 
stores,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  he  remarked,  in  a  sar- 
castic tone. 

The  mate  eyed  the  captain  steadily. 

"May  I  ask  your  meaning,  Capt.  Hill?"  he 
asked.         ^  ■ 


212  Facing    the   World. 

"I  mean  wliat  I  sa>,  sir.  I  think  my  lan- 
guage requires  no  interpreter." 

"Then  I  can  only  reply  that  it  would  have 
made  no  difference  if  I  had  removed  all  the 
provisions." 

"You  appear  to  forget  that  I  am  your  su- 
perior officer,"  said  the  captain  in  a  heat. 

"I  had  no  superior  officer  at  the  time  I  or- 
dered the  removal." 

"You  have  now,  at  any  rate." 

"We  are  not  at  sea,  Capt.  Hill.  The  vessel 
is  wrecked,  and  all  distinctions  are  at  an  end. 
Now  it  is  each  for  himself." 

"So,  sir,  you  defy  my  authority !"  exclaimed 
the  captain,  looking  black. 

"I  don't  recognize  it,  that's  all." 

"You  shall,  sir!"  retorted  the  captain, 
frowning.  "You  shall  learn,  also,  that  I  have 
means  to  enforce  it.  I  have  nearly  a  dozen 
seamen  under  me  and  you  have  only  the  boy, 
Jack  Pendleton." 

"Capt.  Hill,  all  this  is  very  foolish.  We  are 
shipwrecked,  and  have  taken  refuge  on  the 
same  island.  Instead  of  quarreling,  we  should 
help  each  other." 

"So,  you  presume  to  lecture  me!"  sneered 
the  captain. 

Holdfast  didn't  care  to  continue  the  dispute. 

"I  am  ready  to  help  you  remove  what  you 


Facing   the   World.  213 

require,"  he  said,  quietly.  "It  will  be  well  to 
remove  as  much  as  possible  to-day,  for  we  may 
at  any  time  have  a  storm,  that  will  effectually 
put  an  end  to  our  work." 

"Very  well,  sir :  I  am  glad  to  see  you  show  a 
better  spirit." 

The  mate  was  both  annoyed  and  amused  at 
this  evident  intention  to  throw  upon  him  the 
whole  onus  of  the  quarrel,  but  he  did  not  care 
to  reply.  He  and  the  two  boys  helped  remove 
the  stores,  and  it  being  quite  early,  by  noon 
several  boat  loads  had  been  deposited  on  shore, 
to  be  removed  farther  inland  when  there  was  a 
good  opportunity.  One  thing  Mr.  Holdfast 
noted  with  apprehension.  There  was  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  brandy  and  other  spirits 
in  the  captain's  cabin,  which  he  took  care  to 
have  included  in  the  articles  removed.  Kemem- 
bering  the  captain's  weakness,  he  feared  this 
might  lead  to  trouble.  But  he  did  not  take  it 
upon  himself  to  remonstrate,  knowing  that  in 
the  state  of  the  captain's  feelings  toward  him 
it  would  be  worse  than  useless. 

By  three  o'clock  about  all  the  stores,  with 
other  needful  articles,  had  been  removed,  and 
there  was  a  large  pile  on  the  bluff. 

"Captain,  will  you  walk  over  and  see  my 
encampment?"  asked  Holdfast,  now  that  there 
was  leisure. 


214  Facing    the   World. 

"Lead  on,  sir,"  said  the  captain,  not  over 
politely. 

It  was  not  far  away  and  a  short  walk 
brought  them  in  front  of  it. 

"Perhaps  you  will  feel  inclined  to  settle  near 
by,"  suggested  Holdfast. 

"No,  sir;  I  don't  care  to  intrude  upon  you." 

Eventually  the  captain  selected  a  spot  about 
half  a  mile  away.  Here  an  encampment  was 
made,  very  similar  to  the  mate's,  but  on  a 
larger  scale. 

"I  am  glad  the  captain  is  not  close  along- 
side," said  Jack  Pendleton. 

"So  am  I!"  answered  Harry,  to  whom  this 
remark  was  made.  "We  are  better  off  by  our- 
selves." 

"He  would  be  sure  to  interfere  with  us.  I 
saw  him  scowling  at  me  more  than  once  this 
morning.    You  know  he  don't  like  me." 

"Nor  me  either.  Jack.  It  will  be  well  for 
both  of  us  to  keep  out  of  his  way." 

To  the  great  delight  of  Clinton,  more  of  his 
^'wardrobe,"  as  he  called  it,  was  brought 
ashore.  For  this  he  was  indebted  to  the  good- 
natured  persistence  of  Harry,  who,  though 
amused  at  the  vanity  of  the  young  man  from 
Brooklyn,  felt  disposed  to  gratify  him  in  a 
harmless  whim. 

"You  are  awfully  kind,   Mr.  Vane,"  said 


Facing   the   World.  2i_$j 

Clinton.    "Did  you  save  your  own  wardrobe?" 

"I  have  an  extra  pair  of  pants,  and  some 
underclothing." 

"Don't  say  pants — it's  vulgar.  Say  trou- 
sers," expostulated  Clinton. 

"It  comes  to  the  same  thing,  I  fancy,"  said 
Harry,  with  a  smile. 

"If  you  should  get  short  of  clothing  I'll  give 
you  a  pair  of  my  trousers,"  said  Clinton,  gen- 
erously. 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Clinton." 

Harry  doubted,  however,  whether  he  should 
avail  himself  of  the  offer.  Clinton's  limbs  were 
exceedingly  attenuated  and  his  trousers  were 
an  exact  fit.  Now,  Harry  had  a  sturdy  pair 
of  legs,  and  felt  sure  it  would  be  impossible 
to  get  them  into  his  companion's  trousers.  He 
contented  himself,  however,  with  thanking 
him. 

The  two  parties  remained  apart,  the  orig- 
inal company  remaining  with  the  captain, 
while  four  passengers  and  Jack  Pendleton 
stayed  with  the  mate.  Capt.  Hill  showed  a 
disposition  to  claim  Jack,  but  Holdfast  said, 
quietly:  "I  think,  captain,  Jack  had  better 
stay  with  me  for  the  present,  as  he  is  company 
for  Harry  Vane." 

The  captain  looked  dissatisfied,  buL  was  too 
tired  to  remonstrate  at  that  time.     He  went 


2i6  Facing   the   World. 

to  his  own  encampment,  and  indulged  in  lib- 
eral potations  of  brandy,  which  had  the  effect 
of  sending  him  to  sleep. 

That  night  a  violent  wind  sprang  up.  It 
blew  from  the  sea  inland,  and  though  it  did  not 
affect  the  shipwrecked  parties  or  their  en- 
campment seriously,  on  account  of  their  being 
screened  by  the  intervening  bluff,  it  had  an- 
other effect  which  a  day  or  two  previous  might 
have  been  disastrous.  The  ill-fated  Nantucket 
was  driven  with  such  force  against  the  reef 
that  the  strength  of  its  hull  was  overtaxed. 
"When  the  mate  went  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  in 
the  morning  to  take  an  observation,  he  was 
startled  to  find  in  place  of  the  wreck  a  con- 
fused debris  of  timbers,  and  fragments  of  the 
wreck.  Kegs  and  chests  which  it  had  not  been 
thought  necessary  to  move  had  been  thrown 
upon  the  reef,  and  the  elements  had  done  a 
work  of  destruction  which  the  skill  of  man 
would  have  found  it  hard  to  repair. 

As  the  mate  was  surveying  the  scene  of  ruin, 
Jack  and  Harry  joined  him. 

"Look  there,  my  lads!"  said  Holdfast. 
"That's  the  last  of  the  poor  old  'Nantucket. 
She  will  never  float  again." 

They  had  known  this  before,  but  it  was  now 
impressed  upon  their  minds  forcibly,  and  a 
feeling  of  sadness  came  over  the  three. 


Facing   the   World.  217 

''That  settles  it,"  said  Harry,  giving  expres- 
sion to  a  common  feeling.  "We  are  prisoners 
on  the  island  now,  and  no  mistake." 

"When  we  leave  here,  it  won't  be  on  the 
'Nantucket,  anyway,"  said  Jack. 

"It  is  lucky  this  happened  after  we  had 
brought  our  stock  of  provisions  ashore,"  said 
the  mate. 

"Let  us  go  down  and  see  what  these  kegs 
and  boxes  contain,"  suggested  Harry. 

So  the  three  descended  to  the  reef,  and  began 
to  examine  the  articles  thrown  ashore.  For 
the  most  part  they  were  of  little  value,  though 
here  and  there  were  articles  that  might  prove 
useful. 

"Couldn't  we  make  a  raft  out  of  the  timbers 
of  the  old  ship?"  asked  Jack. 

"That  is  worth  thinking  of,  though  a  raffc 
would  not  do  for  a  long  voyage,"  said  Hold- 
fast. 

"No,  but  we  might  be  picked  up." 

"When  the  captain's  party  is  awake  it  will 
be  well  for  us  to  haul  the  loose  timbers  up  to 
a  place  of  safety," 

"Here's  Clinton's  trunk,"  said  Harry,  bend- 
ing over  and  recognizing  the  initials.  "Here  is 
tJie  name,  'M.  C,  Brooklyn.'  He  will  be  over- 
joyed.    Suppose  we  take  it  up  between  us." 

No  opposition  being  made  by  Mr.  Holdfast, 


2i8  Facing   the   World. 

the  boys  took  it  between  them,  preceding  the 
mate.  They  had  just  reached  the  summit  of 
the  blufe. 

"Put  down  that  trunk !"  said  a  stern  voice. 

Looking  up,  the  boys  saw  that  the  speaker 
was  Capt.  Hill. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE     CAPTAIN     INTERFERES. 

The  captain's  face  was  of  dull,  brick  red, 
and  it  was  clear  that  he  had  already  been 
drinking,  early  as  it  was.  Naturally,  the  boys 
on  hearing  his  voice,  put  down  the  trunk  in 
their  surprise,  but  they  maintained  the  posi- 
tion, one  on  each  side  of  it.  Of  the  two,  Jack 
was  the  more  impressed,  having  been  one  of 
the  crew,  and  subject  to  the  captain's  authority 
on  shipboard.  Harry,  as  a  passenger,  felt  more 
independent.  Indeed  he  was  indignant,  and 
ready  to  resist  what  he  though  uncalled-for 
interference  on  the  part  of  the  captain. 

"This  is  Mr.  Clinton's  trunk,"  he  said.  "We 
are  going  to  carry  it  to  him." 

"Do  you  dare  to  dispute  my  authority?" 
roared  the  captain,  his  red  face  becoming  still 
redder. 


Facing   the   World.  219 

"I  don't  see  what  you  have  to  do  with  the 
trunk,"  answered  Harry,  boldly. 
I     "This  to  me !"  shrieked  the  captain,  looking 
as  if  he  were  going  to  have  a  fit  of  apoplexy. 
*'Do  you  know  who  I  am?" 

"You  were  the  captain  of  the  Nantucket/' 
said  Harry,  quietly. 

The  captain,  notwithstanding  his  condition, 
noticed  that  Harry  used  the  past  tense. 

"I  am  still  the  captain  of  the  Nantucket, 
as  I  mean  to  show  you,"  he  retorted. 

"Then,  sir,  you  are  captain  of  a  wreck  that 
has  gone  to  pieces." 

Capt.  Hill  upon  this  looked  at  the  frag- 
ments of  the  unfortunate  ship,  and  for  the 
first  time  took  in  what  had  happened. 

"It  doesn't  matter,"  said  he,  after  a  brief 
pause,  "I  am  in  command  here,  and" — here  he 
interpolated  an  oath — "I  don't  allow  any  in- 
terference with  my  authority." 

"You  are  not  captain  of  Mr.  Clinton's 
trunk,"  said  Harry,  in  a  spirited  tone.  "Jack, 
let  us  carry  it  along." 

This  was  too  much  for  the  captain.  With 
a  look  of  fury  on  his  face,  he  dashed  toward 
Harry,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  our  young 
hero  was  in  serious  danger.  He  paled  slightly, 
for  he  knew  that  he  was  no  match  for  the  tall, 
sinewy  captain,  and  was  half  regretting  his 


220  Facing    the   World. 

independence  when  lie  felt  himself  drawn 
forcibly  to  one  side,  and  in  his  place  stood  the 
mate,  sternly  eying  the  infuriated  captain. 

"What  do  you  want  to  do,  Capt.  Hill?"  he 
asked. 

"To  crush  that  young  viper!"  shouted  the 
captain,  fiercely. 

"You  shall  not  harm  a  hair  of  his  head !" 

"Is  this  mutiny,  Mr.  Holdfast?  Are  you 
aware  that  you  are  speaking  to  your  superior 
officer?" 

"I  have  no  superior  officer  here,  Capt.  Hill. 
You  were  captain  on  shipboard,  but  the  ship 
has  gone  to  pieces." 

Capt.  Hill  seemed  astounded  by  this  answer. 

"Do  you  dispute  my  authority,  sir?"  he 
ejaculated. 

"I  do." 

"Zounds,  sir ;  this  is  mutiny." 

"Then  make  the  most  of  it,"  said  the  mate, 
contemptuously. 

"I  will  have  you  put  in  irons." 

Mr.  Holdfast  smiled. 

"I    don't    think    any    irons    were    brought' 
ashore,"  he  said.     "You  have  been  drinking, 
Capt.  Hill;  or  you  would  not  make  such  a 
foolish  threat." 

By  this  time  the  captain's  wrath  had  been 
diverted  to  the  mate.    He  struck  out  with  his 


Facing   the   World.  221 

right  hand,  intending  to  fell  him  to  the  ground, 
but  the  mate  swerving,  he  fell  from  the  force 
of  his  abortive  blow,  and  being  under  the  in- 
fluence of  his  morning  potation,  could  not  im- 
mediately rise. 

"Boys,"  said  Mr.  Holdfast,  "you  may  take 
hold  of  the  trunk  again,  and  go  on  with  it. 
Don't  be  afraid.  If  the  captain  makes  any  at- 
tempt to  assault  you,  he  will  have  me  to  deal 
with." 

Harry  and  Jack  did  as  directed.  Jack,  how- 
ever, could  not  help  feeling  a  little  nervous,  his 
old  fear  of  the  captain  asserting  itself.  But 
Harry,  confident  in  the  protection  of  his 
good  friend,  the  mate,  was  quite  unconcerned. 

Mr.  Holdfast  walked  on  beside  them. 

"The  captain  seems  disposed  to  make 
trouble,"  he  said.  "He  fancies  that  he  is  cap- 
tain of  this  island,  as  he  was  chief  officer  of 
the  Nafitucket.  I  shall  convince  him  of  his 
mistake." 

"I  hope  you  won't  get  into  any  trouble  on 
my  account,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  said  Harry,  con- 
siderately. 

"Thank  you,  my  lad;  but  Tom  Holdfast 
doesn't  propose  to  let  any  man  walk  over  him, 
even  if  it  is  his  old  skipper.  Now  that  the 
ship  is  gone,  Capt.  Hill  has  no  more  authority 
than  I  have." 


222  Facing    the   World. 

As  the  captain  fell,  his  head  came  in  con- 
tact with  a  timber  with  such  violence  that, 
combined  with  his  condition,  he  was  forced  to 
lie  where  he  fell  for  over  an  hour. 

As  the  boys  emerged  upon  the  bluff  with  the 
trunk,  Clinton,  who  had  just  got  up,  recog- 
nized it,  and  ran  up  to  them,  his  face  beaming 
with  delight. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Vane!"  he  said,  "have  you  really 
brought  my  trunk?  You  are  awfully  kind, 
don't  you  know." 

"Twenty-five  cents  apiece,  please,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton," said  Harry,  smiling.  "We  don't  work 
for  nothing." 

"Keally,  upon  my  word,"  said  Clinton, 
thrusting  his  hands  into  his  pockets,  "I  am 
afraid  I  haven't  got  my  purse  with  me." 

"That's  a  pity,"  said  Harry,  gravely,  "for 
I  wanted  to  call  at  a  cheap  furnishing  goods 
store  and  buy  a  cheap  necktie.  Didn't  you, 
•Jack?" 

"Oh,  you're  joking!  Very  good,  upon  my 
word.  But  I'm  awfully  obliged,  don't  you 
know." 

"You've  had  a  narrow  escape,  Mr.  Clinton. 
The  captain  met  us,  and  forbade  our  bringing 
the  trunk." 

"Why?"  asked  Clinton,  with  eyes  opened 
wide. 


Facing   the   World.  223 

"I  think  he  wanted  it  himself." 

"But  he  couldn't  wear  my  trousers,"  said 
Clinton,  perplexed. 

The  mere  suggestion  of  the  burly  captain  in- 
casing his  legs  in  Clinton's  dudelike  garments 
sent  both  boys  into  a  gale  of  laughter.  Clinton 
surveyed  them  with  a  wondering  smile.  He 
didn't  see  the  joke. 

"You'd  better  put  the  trunk  away  where  the 
captain  won't  see  it,  or  there's  no  knowing 
what  will  happen,"  suggested  Harry. 

Then  they  had  breakfast — a  very  plain  meal 
as  might  be  supposed.  Some  of  the  sailors 
came  over  from  the  other  camp,  and  one  of 
them  asked  Mr.  Holdfast  if  he  had  seen  the 
captain. 

"You  will  find  him  on  the  beach,"  answered 
the  mate.  "He  has  been  carrying  too  much 
sail,  I  think,"  he  added,  dryly. 

The  sailor  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"He  wanted  me  and  Jack  Bowling  to  stand 
watch  last  night,"  he  said.  "He  thought  he 
was  on  the  ship." 

"Did  you?" 

"We  just  stood  outside  till  he  was  asleep, 
and  then  we  turned  in." 

"He'll  never  stand  on  the  Nantucket's  deck 
again." 

"Why  not?" 


224  Facing   the   World. 

"In  the  blow  last  night  the  ship  went  to 
pieces." 

The  sailor  hurried  to  the  edge  of  the  blufif, 
anxious  to  see  for  himself. 

"That's  so,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  he  said,  soberly. 
"Shall  we  ever  see  America  again,  think 
jou?" 

"A  brave  man  never  despairs,  Tom.  We  can 
rig  up  a  raft  or  something.  Meanwhile,  we've 
got  enough  to  eat  for  a  couple  of  months. 
There's  some  satisfaction  in  that." 

"And  the  captain  saved  his  brandy.  He's 
got  enough  to  last  him  longer  than  that,  if 
he  don't  get  help." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?" 

"I  mean  that  there's  some  of  the  men  as 
fond  of  spirits  as  he  is.  I  expect  he'll  have 
help." 

"You  don't  include  yourself,  I  hope,  Tom." 

"No,  Mr.  Holdfast.  My  brother  died  of 
drink  a  year  ago,  and  though  up  to  that  time 
I'd  taken  my  glass  of  grog,  along  with  the  rest 
of  my  shipmates,  I  swore  off  then,  and  I 
haven't  drunk  a  glass  since,  and  I  don't  mean 
to." 

"Then  you're  a  wise  man.  To  my  thinking, 
the  brandy  had  better  have  been  left  aboard. 
Nothing  but  harm  can  come  of  it.  I've  had 
trouble  with  the  captain  already  this  morning 


Facing   the   World.  225 

on  account  of  it,  and  I'm  afraid  this  isn't  the 
end." 

After  a  while  the  captain  picked  himself  up, 
and  gazed  moodily  at  the  wreck,  of  which  so 
little  remained.  Then,  the  events  of  the  morn- 
ing recurring  to  him,  he  frowned  savagely,  and, 
turning  toward  the  bluff,  he  shook  his  fist  an- 
grily in  the  direction  of  the  mate's  encamp- 
ment. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE    ITALIAN    SAILOR. 

For  several  days  nothing  of  note  occurred 
on  the  island.  The  captain  exhibited  an  incli- 
nation for  solitude.  In  the  morning  he  would 
drink  freely,  and  then  wander  off  by  himself, 
not  returning  till  nightfall.  It  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  his  absence  was  felt  as  a  relief  by 
both  parties.  When  at  the  camp,  he  showed 
a  disposition  to  domineer,  as  if  he  were  still 
the  tyrant  of  the  quarterdeck. 

Not  having  anything  special  on  their  hands, 
the  shipwrecked  party,  still  keeping  apart  in 
their  two  camps,  amused  themselves  as  best 
ithey  could.  Still  there  were  hours,  and  plenty 
of  them,  when  all  felt  blue. 


226  Facing    the   World. 

An  idea  came  to  Harry. 

"Professor,"  he  said,  to  his  employer,  "why 
can't  we  give  one  of  our  entertainments  this 
evening?" 

"Is  there  any  hall  that  we  can  have?"  asked 
the  professor,  smiling. 

"I  think  it  will  be  best  to  make  an  open-air 
entertainment,  under  the  circumstances,"  re- 
turned Harry.  "You  see,  some  of  the  men 
are  getting  downhearted,  when  they  think  of 
the  small  prospect  of  seeing  home,  and  it  may 
cheer  them  up  a  little." 

"It's  a  good  idea,  Harry,"  said  the  professor, 
seriously.  "By  good  luck,  I  have  in  my  trunk" 
— the  professor's  trunk,  like  Clinton's,  had 
come  ashore — "some  printed  programs,  requir- 
ing only  the  insertion  of  the  place  and  time, 
and  you  may  post  two  of  them  up,  one  at 
each  camp.    Of  course,  you  will  assist." 

"I  will  do  my  best." 

Great  was  the  surprise  and  interest  when 
the  sailors  and  passengers  saw  the  printed 
posters  attached  to  trees,  Harry  having  atten- 
ded to  that  duty  in  person,  setting  forth  that 
a  magical  entertainment  would  that  evening 
be  given,  admission  free,  beginning  at  seven 
o'clock.  The  hour  was  made  early,  because 
there  was  no  means  of  lighting  up. 

"I  say,  Jack,  that  'minds  me  of  home,"  said 


Facing   the   World.  227 

Tim.  "Never  did  I  expect  to  see  a  bit  of  print* 
in'  nor  a  theayter  ag'in." 

"You're  right,  Tim.    It  looks  good,  it  do." 

Nothing  was  spoken  of  all  day  but  the  en- 
tertainment, and  half  an  hour  before  the  time 
the  audience  collected. 

Fortunately,  the  professor  had  saved  in  his 
trunk  all  the  implements  of  his  profession,  and 
the  entertainment  he  gave,  therefore,  was  quite 
as  good  as  he  was  accustomed  to  furnish  on 
shore.  Some  of  the  sailors  had  never  seen  any 
such  exhibition,  and  they  gazed  with  open- 
eyed  wonder  at  the  tricks  andtransformations^ 
in  which  Harry  ably  seconded  the  "Magician  of 
Madagascar."  The  ventriloquism,  too,  excited 
amazement,  and  some  were  half  disposed  to 
think  that  the  professor  was  in  league  with, 
unholy  powers. 

At  the  close  the  professor  said: 

"Our  young  friend,  Harry  Vane,  will  now 
oblige  us  all  by  a  song." 

Harry  stepped  to  the  front  and  sang — he  had 
not  decided  upon  the  song — "Home,  Sweet 
Home !" 

Before  he  had  finished  it  tears  came  to  the 
eyes  of  more  than  one  of  the  sturdy  sailors. 
The  song  intensified  their  yearning  for  home, 
and  the  doubt  whether  they  would  ever  leave 
the  island  powerfully  affected  them.     From 


228  Facing   the   World. 

the  same  cause  Harry's  own  voice  became 
tremulous,  and  he  saw  that  he  had  made  a  mis- 
take. 

"This  won't  do,  Harry,"  said  the  professor^ 
in  a  low  voice.  "Give  them  something  jolly. 
Let  us  send  them  away  in  good  spirits." 

Harry  took  the  hint,  and  dashed  into  a  lively 
song  that  soon  called  forth  smiles  to  the  faces 
but  lately  sad.  He  followed  it  up  by  another, 
and  was  greeted  with  uproarious  applause. 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  said  the  professor 
— "I  beg  pardon,  gentlemen,  for  the  ladies  are 
unavoidably  absent — this  concludes  our  en- 
tertainment for  this  evening.  Hoping  that  you 
have  been  pleased  with  our  humble  efforts, 
Harry  and  myself  will  now  bid  you  good- 
night!" 

"That  professor's  a  smart  man!"  was  the 
opinion  expressed  by  more  than  one,  "and  the 
lad  sings  like  a  martingale." 

"That  isn't  the  word.  Jack.  You're  all 
wrong," 

"Well,  it's  some  kind  of  bird.  I  disremember 
the  exact  name." 

All  the  party  were  present  except  one.  Capt. 
Hill  didn't  make  his  appearance  till  the  meet- 
ing was  breaking  up.  Then  he  came  in  sight, 
round  the  corner  of  the  encampment.  "What's 
all   this?"   he  demanded,   suspiciously,   of  a 


Facing   the   World.  229 

sailor.  "What  mischief  have  you  been 
hatching  up  while  I  was  away?" 

"That  poster  will  inform  you,  Capt.  Hill," 
said  the  mate,  pointing  to  the  tree  close  by,  to 
which  it  was  attached.  "The  professor  has 
been  trying  to  cheer  up  the  men  a  little." 

The  captain  muttered  something  under  his 
l&reath,  and  passed  on. 

Among  the  sailors  was  an  Italian  named 
Francesco.  Probably  he  had  another  name, 
but  no  one  knew  what  it  was.  In  fact,  a 
sailor's  last  name  is  very  little  used.  He  was  a 
man  of  middle  height,  very  swarthy,  with 
bright,  black  eyes,  not  unpopular,  for  the  most 
part,  but  with  a  violent  temper.  His  chief 
fault  was  a  love  of  strong  drink.  On  board 
the  Nantucket  grog  had  been  served  to  the 
crew ;  and  with  that  he  had  been  content.  But 
at  the  time  of  the  wreck  no  spirits  had  been 
saved  but  the  captain's  stock  of  brandy.  Fran- 
cesco felt  this  to  be  a  great  hardship.  More 
than  any  other  sailor  he  felt  the  need  of  his 
usual  stimulant.  It  was  very  tantalizing  to 
him  to  see  the  captain  partaking  of  his  private 
stock  of  brandy,  while  he  was  compelled  to  get 
along  on  water. 

"The  captain  is  too  mucha  selfish,"  he  said 
one  day,  to  a  fellow  sailor.  "He  should  share 
his  brandy  with  the  men." 


230  Facing    the   World. 

Ben  Brady,  the  sailor  to  whom  he  was  speak- 
ing, shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Brandy  is  too  good  for  the  likes  of  us,"  he 
said. 

"Who  says  that?"  demanded  the  Italian,  an- 
grily. 

"I  say  so,  my  hearty." 

"Then  the  captain  he  not  say  so,  eh?" 

"I  never  heard  him  say  so,  but  no  doubt  he 
thinks  so." 

"I  no  want  brandy  if  I  can  get  grog;  but 
there  is  no  grog." 

"Then  you  will  have  to  do  without." 

"I  think  I  will  try  some  of  the  captain's 
brandy  when  he  is  away,"  said  Francesco,  slyly. 

"If  you  do,  you  will  get  into  trouble.  The 
captain  will  half  murder  you  if  he  finds  it 
out." 

"He  is  not  captain  now — we  are  all  equal — 
all  comrades.    We  are  not  on  ze  sheep." 

"Take  my  advice,  Francesco,  and  leave  the 
brandy  alone." 

Francesco  did  not  reply,  but  he  became  more 
and  more  bent  on  his  design.  His  mouth  wa- 
tered, if  that  is  a  correct  expression,  for  the 
brandy  which  he  saw  tlie  captain  partake  of 
every  day.  Why  should  one  man  monopolize 
all  the  good  spirit,  he  asked  himself,  when  he 
was  suffering  for  a  draught  of  it? 


Facing   the   World.  23  ii 

He  v/atcliecl  the  captain,  and  ascertained 
where  he  kept  his  secret  store.  Then  he 
watched  his  opportunity  to  help  himself  to 
it. 

It  was  some  time  before*  he  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  do  so  unobserved,  but  at  length  the 
chance  cam,e. 

The  first  draught  brought  light  to  his  eyes, 
and  made  him  smack  his  lips  with  enjoyment. 
It  was  so  long  since  he  had  tasted  the  forbidden 
nectar  that  he  drank  again  and  again,  for- 
getting that  brandy  had  a  strength  which  the 
more  common  liquors  to  w^hich  he  was  accus- 
tomed have  not.  Finally  he  found  himself 
overcome  by  his  potations,  and  sank  upon  the 
ground  in  a  drunken  stupor. 

He  was  getting  over  the  effects,  when,  to  his 
ill  luck,  the  captain  returned  from  his  usual 
solitarj^  ramble,  and  wended  his  way  to  the 
place  where  he  had  stored  his  brandy.  Prone 
on  the  ground,  in  a  state  which  no  one  could 
misunderstand,  he  saw  Francesco. 

''He  has  been  at  my  brandy!"  Capt.  Hill 
said  to  himself,  with  flaming  eyes.  "The  fool 
shall  pay  dearly  for  his  temerity." 

He  advanced  hastily  to  the  prostrate  man, 
and  administered  a  severe  kick,  which  at  once 
aroused  the  half-stupefied  man. 

Francesco  looked  up  with  alarm,  for  the 


>-32  Facing   the   World. 

captain  was  a  much  larger  and  stronger  man 
than  himself. 

"Pardon,  signor  captain,"  he  entreated. 

"You  have  been  drinking  my  brandy,  you 
beast,"  said  Capt.  Hill,  furiously. 

"Pardon  me;  indeed,  I  could  not  help  it,  I 
Was  so  thirsty." 

"I  pardon  you?"  roared  the  captain.  "I'll 
give  you  a  lesson  you  will  never  forget." 

I  draw  a  veil  over  the  brutal  treatment  poor 
Francesco  received.  When  it  was  over  he 
crawled  away,  beaten  and  humiliated,  but  in 
his  eye  there  was  a  dangerous  light  that  boded 
no  good  to  the  captain. 


CHAPTEE  XXXIV. 

MR.  Clinton's  terrible  adventure. 

Montgomery  Clinton,  having,  like  most  of 
his  companions,  very  little  to  occupy  his  mind, 
got  into  the  habit  of  taking  long  walks  about 
the  island.  He  had  got  over  his  fear  of  a  pos- 
sible encounter  with  savages,  having  made  up 
his  mind  that  the  island  was  uninhabited  save 
by  the  shipwrecked  sailors  and  passengers  of 
the  Nantucket.    Though  he  was  not  likely  to 


Facing   the   World.  233 

meet  anyone,  habit  was  strong  upon  him,  and 
he  attired  himself  as  carefully  for  these  expe- 
ditions as  if  he  were  about  to  visit  Prospect 
Park  on  a  Sunday  afternoon,  or  take  a  stroll 
down  Fulton  Avenue,  in  his  native  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Clinton  was  not  fond  of  solitude.  He 
felt  that  it  was  a  pity  no  one  was  privileged  to 
see  him  in  all  the  splendor  of  his  apparel.  But 
he  could  always  admire  himself.  By  some 
strange  oversight,  not  a  mirror — not  even  a 
handglass — had  been  brought  on  shore,  and  his 
only  chance  to  survey  himself  was  to  gaze  into 
the  depths  of  some  pellucid  pool,  and  admire 
the  slender  figure  and  attenuated  limbs,  which 
qualified  him  for  his  crowning  distinction  as 
a  modern  dude. 

About  two  miles  from  the  camp,  not  far 
from  the  shore,  was  a  small  pond,  or  pool, 
which  he  used  for  a  mirror.  His  reason  for 
going  alone  was,  that  he  could  not  have  in- 
dulged otherwise,  without  ridicule,  in  his  fa- 
vorite amusement  of  admiring  his  own  form 
and  figure. 

One  warm  day  he  fell  asleep  a  few  rods  from 
the  pond.  His  walk,  together  with  the  heat, 
had  made  him  drowsy,  and  pillowing  his  head 
on  a  clump  of  earth,  he  enjoyed  a  refreshing 
slumber.  At  length  he  had  a  dream  that  ter- 
rified him.    It  seemed  to  him  that  he  was  in 


234  Facing    the   World. 

the  region  beyond  the  Missouri,  in  the  heart 
of  the  forests,  surrounded  by  a  pack  of  Amer- 
ican Indians,  who,  armed  with  bows  and 
spears,  were  executing  a  war  dance  about  him, 
preparatory  to  inflicting  cruel  tortures  upon 
him.  Poor  Clinton's  brow  was  covered  with 
beads  of  cold  perspiration  in  spite  of  the  heat, 
and  his  mental  agitation  was  such  that  the 
chains  of  slumber  were  loosened,  and  he  woke 
up.  But  his  awakening  did  not  release  him 
from  the  thraldom  of  terror.  As  from  his 
lowly  pillow  he  looked  upward,  he  saw  a  brown 
face  scanning  him  with  curiosity.  It  was 
only  one  of  half  a  dozen  Polynesian  savages, 
scantily  clothed,  as  is  the  custom  of  their  race, 
who  were  gathered  in  a  circle  about  him. 

Clinton  at  first  thought  that  it  was  only  a 
continuation  of  his  dream,  but  a  hurried  glance 
at  the  familiar  surroundings  satisfied  him  that 
he  was  broad  awake,  and  that  these  were  crea- 
tures of  real  flesh  and  blood. 

The  poor  fellow's  heart  sank  within  him. 
They  might  be  cannibals,  he  thought,  about  to 
kill  him  to  satisfy  their  degraded  appetite. 
He  was  neither  brave  nor  bold,  but  even  if  he 
had  been,  he  was  but  one  against  six.  What 
could  he  do?  If  only  he  could  propitiate  them 
by  gentle  and  conciliatory  speech,  he  might  yet 
save  his  life. 


Facing   the   World.  235 

He  gathered  himself  up,  and  with  blanched 
face  and  troubled  look,  returned  the  steadfast 
gaze  of  the  strangers.  When  he  rose,  they 
moved  back  a  step,  and  surveyed  him  doubt- 
fully, as  if  uncertain  of  his  intentions. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  Clinton,  in  a  tremulous 
tone,  "I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  intruding 
upon  your  domains.  'Pon  my  word,  I  didn't 
know  you  lived  here.  I'm  awfully  sorry,  don't 
you  know." 

The  savages  looked  at  each  other  in  bewil- 
derment. They  heard  the  words,  but  they  were 
as  unintelligible  to  them  as  Greek  would  have 
been  to  Clinton.  The  object  before  them  evi- 
dently aroused  their  curiosity.  The  thin  fig- 
ure and  attenuated  limbs  of  the  white  stran- 
ger, with  the  striped  trousers,  fitting  closely 
to  the  skin,  which  covered  them,  seemed  to 
them  very  singular.  They  were  evidently  not 
quite  clear  in  mind  whether  Clinton  was  not 
curiously  tattooed,  for  one  of  them  bent  down 
and  passed  his  brown  hands  over  the  trousers. 
Then  he  turned,  and  spoke  in  a  soft  gibberish 
to  his  companions,  as  if  to  inform  them  of  the 
discovery  he  had  made. 

Poor  Clinton  trembled  when  this  examina- 
tion was  going  on.  He  did  not  know  what  it 
portended.  Then  another  of  the  savages  came 
forward  and  gratified  his  curiosity  in  the  same 


236  Facing   the   World. 

"way.  Then  he  put  his  hand  upon  his  own  leg, 
and  spoke  to  the  others,  no  doubt  calling  at- 
tention to  the  difference  between  them. 

"They  are  admiring  my  trousers,"  thought 
Clinton,  and  in  spite  of  his  fears,  he  felt  a  cer- 
tain gratification  in  feeling  that  he  was  once 
more  appreciated,  though  it  were  only  by  these 
untutored  savages. 

But  great  was  his  dismay  when  they  made 
signs  for  him  to  remove  his  trousers,  in  order 
that  they  might  better  form  an  opinion  as  to 
this  unknown  covering. 

"I  really  hope  you'll  excuse  me,  gentlemen," 
he  said,  with  trepidation.  "I  really  couldn't 
spare  them,  don't  you  know." 

Of  course  they  did  not  understand  him,  but 
they  saw  he  was  making  objections,  and  one 
of  them  made  a  threatening  gesture  that 
brought  Clinton  to  terms. 

In  anguish  of  heart,  he  proceeded  to  divest 
himself  of  his  pantaloons.  One  of  the  savages 
took  them,  and  they  were  passed  from  one  to 
another,  and  attentively  examined. 

"I  hope  they'll  give  them  back  to  me,'* 
thought  Clinton,  anxiously. 

Finally  one  of  the  party  undertook  to  draw 
them  over  his  own  limbs,  which  were  quite 
double  the  size  of  the  unhappy  dude's. 

"You'll  tear  them,  my  good  friend,"  he  said. 


Facing   the   World.  23^ 

in  alarm.  "They  are  much  too  small  for  you, 
don't  you  kaow." 

Naturally  the  savage  took  no  notice  of  the 
remonstrance,  and  proceeded  with  the  experi- 
ment. The  natural  result  followed.  In  at- 
tempting to  thrust  his  sturdy  limbs  into  the 
dudelike  legs,  the  trousers  burst  at  the  side, 
and  after  a  hard  struggle  the  gentleman  from 
the  South  Seas  was  obliged  to  give  it  up. 

He  shook  his  head  with  an  expression  of 
disgust,  and  threw  the  trousers  upon  the 
ground. 

Clinton  picked  them  up,  and  with  mental 
anguish  surveyed  the  irreparable  damage 
which  had  been  done  to  his  choicest  trousers, 
the  pride  of  his  wardrobe.  He  put  them  on, 
but  they  hung  limp  and  tattered  to  his  limbs. 
Their  glory  and  beauty  had  departed. 

"What  will  they  do.  next?"  the  unhappy; 
Clinton  asked  himself. 

He  did  not  need  to  wait  long  for  an  answer 
to  his  question. 

The  first  savage  espied  his  hat,  a  choice  one 
bought  from  Knox,  and  unceremoniously 
snatching  it  from  his  head,  put  it  on  his  own. 

His  companions  seemed  amused,  and  laughed 
in  their  way  at  the  perpetrator  of  this  high- 
handed outrage,  as  he  strutted  about  with  Mr- 
Clinton's  fashionable  hat. 


238  Facing    the   World. 

"Please  give  it  back  to  me,  most  noble  sav- 
age!" pleaded  Clinton,  in  piteous  accents  of 
genuine  alarm,  for  although  he  had  recovered 
from  the  wreck  six  pairs  of  trousers,  he  had 
but  one  hat,  and  if  that  were  lost,  he  would  be 
obliged  to  go  about  without  any  head  covering. 

His  first  fears  had  departed.  The  strange 
visitors  seemed  too  gentle  to  be  cannibals. 
But  even  were  it  otherwise,  the  Brooklyn  dude 
would  have  made  very  poor  pickings  for  any 
cannibal  with  a  hearty  appetite.  Montgomery 
Clinton,  though  of  average  height,  weighed  but 
one  hundred  and  two  pounds  when  completely 
dressed,  and  would  have  required  a  long  time 
to  fatten. 

The  poor  fellow's  trials,  however,  were  near 
an  end.  All  at  once  a  party  of  sailors  burst  out 
of  a  leafy  covert,  and  began  to  run  to  the  spot. 
Immediately  the  savages  took  to  their  heels 
and  ran  swiftly  to  the  sea,  where  a  couple  of 
canoes  were  awaiting  them.  The  sailors  joined 
in  the  pursuit,  but  did  not  succeed  in  overtak- 
ing them.  Into  the  canoe  they  jumped,  and  be- 
gan to  paddle  away.  But  alas !  Clinton's  hat 
w^ent  with  them.  The  new  wearer  of  the  hat 
forgot  to  return  it,  and  presented  a  curious 
spectacle  as  he  sat  in  the  canoe  in  his  scant  at- 
tire with  a  fashionable  Broadway  hat  on  his 
head. 


Facing   the   World.  239 

"What  did  they  do  to  you,  Mr.  Clinton?" 
asked  a  sailor. 

"See  here!"  said  Clinton,  pointing  mourn- 
fully to  his  ruined  trousers. 

But  the  sailors  only  laughed,  and  made  light 
of  what  to  Clinton  was  a  serious  trouble. 

"And  they've  got  my  hat,  too !"  said  Clinton, 
sadly. 

"Take  mine,  my  hearty !"  said  a  sailor,  clap- 
ping his  own  tarpaulin  on  Clinton's  head.  "I 
don't  need  any,  not  bein'  delicate,  or  afraid  of 
bein'  tanned." 

Clinton  was  about  to  decline,  but  finally  ac- 
cepted, feeling  a  headache  coming  on  from  the 
powerful  rays  of  the  sun,  and  henceforth  his 
dudelike  appearance  was  marred  by  the  in- 
congruity between  the  hat  and  the  rest  of  his 
attire. 


CHAPTEB  XXXV. 

A  TRAGICAL  END. 

While  Clinton  was  undergoing  the  perse- 
cution from  the  unappreciative  natives,  a  dif- 
ferent and  much  more  tragical  scene  was  being 
enacted  at  a  different  part  of  the  island. 

Capt.  Hill,  from  his  unfortunate  tempera- 


240  Facing   the   World. 

ment,  was  on  cordial  terms  with  none  of  his 
shipwrecked  companions.  The  sailors,  indeed, 
yielded  him  a  certain  outward  respect  on  ac- 
count of  the  position  he  had  held  on  ship- 
l3oard,  but  when  he  tried  to  exercise  an  equal 
authority  on  the  island  they  were  stubborn, 
and  declined  to  obey  him.  Now,  the  captain 
was  inclined  to  be  a  despot,  and  naturally  liked 
to  domineer.  This  disposition  on  the  part  of 
his  former  subordinates  annoyed  him  exceed- 
ingly, yet  he  was  obliged  to  submit  to  it.  Had 
he  been  pleasant  and  reasonable  like  the  mate, 
he  would  have  found  no  difficulty  in  maintain- 
ing his  ascendency,  and  the  sailors  would  have 
yielded  him  a  willing  obedience.  He  would 
have  found  pleasure  also  in  the  society  of  the 
passengers.  As  it  was,  all  avoided  him,  and 
he  was  forced  to  depend  upon  his  own  thoughts, 
not  altogether  agreeable,  for  companionship. 

Usually  soon  after  breakfast  he  set  out  on 
a  long  and  aimless  walk,  which  occupied  him 
all  day.  Where  he  went,  or  how  he  occupied 
himself,  none  knew,  for  no  one  took  the  trouble 
to  follow  him,  with  one  exception. 

If  Capt.  Hill  had  been  a  prudent  man,  he 
ivould  have  noticed  that  while  no  one  was 
friendly  to  him,  one  man  among  the  small  com- 
pany hated  him.  This  was  Francesco,  the  Ital- 
ian sailor,  whom  he  had  brutally  beaten  when 


Facing    the   World.  241 

he  discovered  him  in  the  act  of  purloining  his 
brandy.  Others,  however,  noticed  the  glances 
of  hatred  with  which  the  swarthy-faced  Italian 
regarded  his  former  commander.  One  day  Mr. 
Holdfast  thought  it  right  to  call  it  to  the  at- 
tention of  the  captain. 

"Capt.  Hill,"  he  said,  "I  think  it  only  right 
to  tell  you  that  there  is  a  man  in  your  camp 
who  may  do  you  a  mischief." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  demanded  the  cap- 
tain, haughtily,  drawing  himself  up. 

"I  mean  that  Francesco,  the  Italian  sailor, 
evidently  hates  you,  and  is  quite  capable  of 
doing  you  harm." 

"That — pygmy!"  said  the  captain,  disdain- 
fully; "why,  he  is  only  a  boy  in  stature,  and 
I  could  manage  half  a  dozen  like  him." 

"True,  if  you  had  fair  warning;  but  he  is 
treacherous— he  will  not  take  you  at  advan- 
tage." 

Capt.  Hill  laughed  scornfully. 

"I'm  not  an  old  man,  Mr.  Holdfast,"  he  said, 
"to  be  frightened  at  trifles.  The  fellow  is  wel- 
come to  hate  me.  I  would  as  soon  apprehend 
danger  from  a  five-pound  puppy." 

"No  enemy  is  unworthy  of  notice,"  said  the 
mate,  sententiously. 

Capt.  Hill  made  a  gesture  of  impatience,  and 
walked  away. 


242  Facing   the   World. 

Holdfast  shook  his  head  in  disapproval. 
1  "Heaven  grant  his  confidence  be  not  misr 
,  placed !"  he  said  to  himself.  "I  am  no  coward, 
but  if  Francesco  looked  after  me  with  such 
murderous  glances  as  those  with  which  he  re- 
gards the  captain,  I  should  feel  nervous  and 
try  to  placate  him." 

No  one  is  in  so  much  danger  as  the  man 
who  is  over-confident.  Capt.  Hill  did  not  al- 
low the  warning  he  had  received  to  make  him 
more  prudent.  Indeed,  it  did  harm,  for  he 
picked  out  Francesco  as  a  fit  subject  for  fur- 
ther ill  treatment,  and  on  more  than  one  occa- 
sion kicked  and  cuffed  him.  The  Italian  made 
no  open  resistance,  but  slunk  away,  while  the 
captain  followed  him  with  a  derisive  smile. 

"So  that  is  the  man  I  am  to  be  afraid  of,  ac- 
cording to  Holdfast,"  he  muttered.  "Well,  I 
propose  to  make  it  unpleasant  for  him." 

Presently  Francesco  began  to  absent  himself. 
Where  he  went  no  one  knew  or  cared,  but  he, 
too,  would  be  away  all  day.  His  small,  black 
eyes  glowed  with  smoldering  fires  of  hatred 
whenever  he  looked  at  the  captain,  but  his 
looks  were  always  furtive,  and  so  for  the  most 
part  escaped  observation. 

One  day  Capt.  Hill  stood  in  contemplation 
on  the  edge  of  a  precipitous  bluff,  looking  sea- 
ward.   His  hands  were  folded,  and  he  looked 


Facing   the   World.  243 

thoughtful.  His  back  was  turned,  so  he  could 
not,  therefore,  see  a  figure  stealthily  approach- 
ing, the  face  distorted  by  murderous  hate,  the 
hand  holding  a  long,  slender  knife.  Fate  was 
approaching  him  in  the  person  of  a  deadly 
enemy.  He  did  not  know  that  day  by  day 
Francesco  had  dogged  his  steps,  watching  for 
the  opportunity  which  at  last  had  come. 

So  stealthy  was  the  pace,  and  so  silent  the 
approach  of  the  foe,  that  the  captain  believed 
himself  wholly  alone  till  he  felt  a  sharj)  lunge, 
as  the  stiletto  entered  his  back  between  his 
shoulders.  He  staggered,  but  turned  suddenly, 
all  his  senses  now  on  the  alert,  and  discovered 
who  had  assailed  him. 

"Ha!  it  is  you!"  he  exclaimed,  wrathfully, 
seizing  the  Italian  by  the  throat.  "Dog,  what 
would  you  do?" 

"Kill  you !"  hissed  the  Italian,  and  with  the 
remnant  of  his  strength  he  thrust  the  knife 
farther  into  his  enemy's  body. 

The  captain  turned  white,  and  he  staggered, 
still  standing  on  the  brink  of  the  precipice. 

Perceiving  it,  and  not  thinking  of  his  own 
danger,  Francesco  gave  him  a  push,  and  losing 
his  balance  the  captain  fell  over  the  edge, 
a  distance  of  sixty  feet,  upon  the  jagged  rocks 
beneath.  But  not  alone!  Still  retaining  his 
fierce  clutch  upon  the  Italian's  throat,   the 


244  Facing    the    World. 

murderer,  too,  fell  with  him,  and  both  were 
stretched  in  an  instant,  mangled  and  lifeless, 
at  the  bottom  of  the  precipice.  Whether  either 
had  a  gleam  of  consciousness  after  the  terrible 
fall  could  not  be  told.  They  passed  out  of  life 
together. 

When  night  came,  and  neither  returned,  it 
was  thought  singular,  but  the  night  was  dark 
and  they  were  unprovided  with  lanterns,  so 
that  the  search  was  postponed  till  morning.  It 
was  only  after  a  search  of  several  hours  that 
the  two  were  found,  the  captain  even  in  death 
retaining  his  hold  iipon  his  swarthy  foe,  while 
the  faces  of  both  showed  them  to  have  been 
under  the  influence  of  passion. 

"He  would  have  been  alive  to-day,  if  he  had 
heeded  my  warning!"  said  the  mate.  "I  told 
him  that  no  enemy  was  unworthy  of  notice." 

There  was  little  mourning  for  either.  Fran- 
cesco had  never  been  a  favorite  with  the  other 
sailors,  though  they  sympathized  with  him 
against  the  captain,  whose  brutal  treatment 
was  without  adequate  excuse. 


Facing   the   World.  245 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

CONCLUSION. 

After  the  captain's  death  two  distinct 
Camps  were  still  maintained,  but  the  most  cor- 
dial relations  existed  between  them.  At  the 
suggestion  of  the  mate,  an  inventory  was  made 
of  the  stock  of  provisions,  and  to  each  camp 
was  assigned  an  amount  proportioned  to  the 
number  of  men  which  it  contained. 

There  was  no  immediate  prospect  of  want. 
Still,  the  more  prudent  regarded  with  anxiety 
the  steady  diminution  of  the  stock  remaining, 
and  an  attempt  was  made  to  eke  them  out  by 
fresh  fish  caught  off  the  island.  But  the  inevi- 
table day  was  only  postponed.  At  length  only 
a  week's  provisions  remained.  The  condition 
was  becoming  serious, 

"What  shall  we  do?"  was  the  question  put 
to  Mr.  Holdfast,  who  was  now  looked  upon  by 
all  as  their  leader  and  chief. 

Upon  this  the  mate  called  a  general  meeting 
of  all  upon  the  island,  sailors  and  passengers 
alike. 

"My  friends,"  he  said,  "it  is  useless  to  con- 
ceal our  situation.  We  are  nearly  out  of  pro- 
visions, and  though  we  may  manage  to  subsist 
upon  the  fish  we  catch,  and  other  esculents  na- 


246  Facing   the   World. 

tive  to  this  spot,  it  will  be  a  daily  fight  against 
starvation.  I  have  been  asked  what  we  are  to 
do.  I  prefer  rather  to  call  for  suggestions 
from  you." 

"How  far  is  the  nearest  land,  in  your  opin^ 
ion,  Mr.  Holdfast?"  asked  Mr.  Stubbs. 

"Probably  it  is  at  least  a  thousand  miles  to 
the  continent,  meaning  the  continent  of  Asia. 
No  doubt  there  are  islands  much  nearer." 

"We  are  on  an  island  now,  and  probably  we 
should  not  improve  our  condition  by  seeking 
another." 

"We  might  make  it  worse  if  we  reached  an 
island  inhabited  by  warlike  savages.  Upon 
that  point  I  can  give  you  no  information.  This 
is  my  first  voyage  to  this  part  of  the  world." 

"In  my  view  there  are  two  courses  open  to 
us,"  said  Mr.  Stubbs,  finding  that  no  one  else 
appeared  to  have  anything  to  propose.  "We 
must  remain  here  and  eat  up  the  rest  of  our 
provisions,  but  there  seems  very  little  chance 
of  our  attracting  the  attention  of  any  passing 
vessel.  We  appear  to  be  out  of  the  ordinary 
coujse.  Of  course,  it  is  possible  that  some  ship 
may  have  passed  the  island  without  attracting 
our  notice.  What  is  your  opinion,  Mr.  Hold- 
fast?" 

"The  flag  of  the  Nantuchet,  as  you  all  knoT^, 
has  floated  night  and  day  from  a  pole  erected 


Facing   the   World.  247 

on  a  high  bluff,"  said  the  mate.  "The  chances 
are  that  if  any  vessel  had  come  sufficiently 
near  it  would  have  attracted  attention,  and  led 
to  a  boat  being  lowered,  and  an  exploring  party 
sent  thither." 

"Precisely.  It  looks,  therefore,  as  if  we  were 
out  of  the  general  course  of  vessels." 

Here  the  boatswain,  Harrison,  spoke  up. 

"I  agree  with  Mr.  Stubbs,"  said  he.  "and 
I  say  there's  only  one  thing  to  do." 

"Go  on,  sir,"  said  Stubbs. 

"While  we've  got  any  provisions  left,"  con- 
tinued the  boatswain,  "let  us  take  the  boats, 
and  put  out  to  sea.  We  can  go  where  the  ships 
are,  and  then  we'll  have  some  chance.  They'll 
never  find  us  here,  leastways,  such  is  my  opin- 
ion." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  assent  from  the  sail- 
ors, who  clearly  agreed  with  the  boatswain. 

"Ay,  ay ;  let  us  take  to  the  boats !"  they  said. 

"Mr.  Harrison  expresses  my  sentiments," 
said  Stubbs,  with  a  bow.  "His  proposal  is 
identical  with  the  one  I  intended  to  make." 

"My  friends,"  said  the  mate," you  have  heard 
the  proposal  made  by  the  boatswain,  and  in- 
dorsed by  Mr.  Stubbs.  All  who  are  in  favor 
of  it  will  please  raise  their  right  hand." 

All  voted  in  the  affirmative  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Montgomery  Clinton. 


248  Facing    the   World. 

"Don't  you  think  the  plan  a  good  one,  Mr. 
Clinton?"  asked  Harry. 

"It's  so  horrid  being  out  in  a  small  boat, 
don't  you  know,"  responded  Clinton.  "It  is 
much  nicer  on  the  island." 

"But  it  would  not  be  very  nice  staying  here 
all  our  lives,"  said  Harry.  "Still,  we  can  leave 
you  here,  if  you  prefer  it." 

"Oh,  no!"  said  Clinton,  hastily.  "I  might 
meet  some  of  those  horrid  natives,  don't  you 
know.    I'll  go  if  the  rest  go." 

"My  friends,"  said  Mr.  Holdfast,  "it  seems 
to  be  the  unanimous  sentiment  that  we  leave 
the  island,  and  sail  out  far  enough  to  be  in  the 
course  of  passing  vessels.  I  concur  in  the  ex- 
pediency of  this  step,  and  am  ready  to  com- 
mand one  of  the  boats." 

"Mr.  Clinton  will  command  the  other,"  said 
Harry. 

There  was  a  general  laugh  which  reassured 
poor  Clinton,  who  had  taken  Harry's  proposal 
in  earnest,  and  was  about  to  excuse  himself,  in 
alarm. 

"Mr.  Harrison  will  command  the  other,'* 
continued  the  mate. 

"When  shall  we  start?"  asked  a  passenger. 

"The  sooner  the  better!  To-morrow  morn- 
ing, if  it  is  pleasant." 

This  decision  pleased  all.     Something  was 


Facing   the   World.  249 

to  be  done,  and  hope  was  rekindled  in  the 
breasts  of  all.  Heretofore  they  had  been  living 
on,  without  hope  or  prospect  of  release.  Now 
they  were  to  set  out  boldly,  and  though  there 
was  the  possibility  of  failure,  there  was  also 
a  chance  of  deliverance. 

No  sooner  was  the  decision  made  than  all 
hands  went  to  work  to  prepare  for  embarking. 
Mr.  Clinton,  even,  volunteeTed  his  assistance, 
but  he  proved  so  unhandy,  and  got  so  mixed 
in  attempting  to  follow  directions,  that  Mr. 
Holdfast  gravely  excused  him  from  personal 
labor,  and  asked  him  to  superintend  the 
others.  This  gave  Mr.  Clinton  an  idea  that  he 
was  of  great  service,  although  his  orders  re- 
ceived no  attention.  He  was  very  much  dis- 
turbed because  the  mate  would  not  agree  to 
carry  his  trunk  in  the  boat,  but  restricted  him 
to  the  clothes  he  had  on. 

"What  will  become  of  my  trousers?"  he 
asked,  pathetically. 

"The  next  party  of  natives  landing  on  the 
island  will  probably  find  them  very  conven- 
ient," said  the  mate,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"I  couldn't  bear  to  think  of  their  wearing 
them,"  responded  Clinton,  mournfully.  "May 
I  take  one  pair  under  my  arm?" 

This  favor  was  finally  accorded  the  young 
man,  and  his  grief  was  somewhat  mitigated. 


2^  Facing   the   World. 

In  the  apportionment  of  passengers,  Mr. 
Holdfast,  who  commanded  the  long  boat,  re- 
tained Harry,  the  professor  and  Clinton.  Six 
sailors,  including  Jack  Pendleton,  made  up  the 
complement. 

"I  am  glad  you  are  going  to  be  with  us, 
Jack,"  said  Harry,  joyfully.  "I  shouldn't  like 
to  be  separated  from  you." 

"Nor  I  from  you,  Harry,"  returned  Jack, 
with  a  look  of  affection,  for  he  had  grown  very 
much  attached  to  our  hero. 

"I  don't  know  what  fate  is  in  store  for  us," 
continued  Harry,  "but,  at  any  rate,  we  shall 
be  together." 

At  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning  they 
started.  As  the  island  faded  in  the  distance, 
all  looked  back  thoughtfully  at  their  sometime 
home. 

"Shall  we  ever  see  it  again.  Jack,  I  won- 
der?" said  Harry. 

"I  hope  not,"  answered  Jack,  "except  from 
the  deck  of  a  good  ship." 

"I  have  passed  some  happy  days  there.  It 
wasn't  so  bad  a  place,  after  all." 

"But  I  like  a  ship's  deck  better." 

"Because  you  are  fond  of  the  sea.  You  will 
be  a  captain  sometime.  Jack." 

"I  hope  so,"  answered  the  young  sailof,  with. 
glowing  face. 


Facing   the   World.  251 

"How  would  you  like  to  be  a  sailor,  Mr.  Clin- 
ton?"  asked  Harry,  mischievously. 

"It  is  a  horrid  business,"  said  Clinton,  shud- 
dering.   "The  sea  is  very  nasty.     Oh!" 

"What's  the  matter?" 

"Some  nasty  sea  water  was  splashed  on  my 
trousers.  You  sailor  men,  please  row  more 
carefully." 

The  sailors  only  laughed,  and  five  minutes 
later  poor  Clinton  suffered  again  in  the  same 
way, — by  accident  or  design,  I  will  not  say. 

Three  days  the  two  boats  floated  about  on 
the  bosom  of  the  ocean — three  days  and  nights 
of  anxiety,  during  which  no  sail  was  visible. 
But  at  length  a  ship  was  sighted. 

"All  of  you  wave  your  handkerchiefs !"  said 
the  mate.  "In  one  way  or  another  we  must 
try  to  attract  their  attention." 

"Wave  your  trousers,  Clinton,"  said  Harry. 

"I  can't,  don't  you  know,"  said  Clinton,  be- 
wildered. 

Not  to  protract  the  reader's  suspense,  let  me 
say  that  by  great  good  fortune  the  mate  of  the 
approaching  ship,  in  sweeping  the  ocean  with 
Lis  glass,  caught  sight  of  the  two  boats,  and 
changed  the  course  of  the  vessel  so  as  to  fall 
in  with  them. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  hailed. 

"Shipwrecked  sailors  and  passengers  of  the 


252  Facing    the   World. 

ship  'Nantucket,"  was  the  answer  of  Holdfast. 

They  were  taken  on  board,  and  discovered 
that  the  vessel  was  the  Phocis,  from  New  York, 
bound  for  Melbourne. 

"We  shall  reach  our  destination,  after  all^ 
then,  professor,"  said  Harry,  "and  you  will 
be  able  to  give  your  entertainments  as  you 
proposed.    Prof.  Hemenway  shook  his  head. 

"I  shall  take  the  first  steamer  home,"  he 
said.  "My  wife  will  be  anxious  about  me,  and 
even  now  is  in  doubt  whether  I  am  alive  or 
dead.    You  can  return  with  me  if  you  like." 

"No,"  answered  Harry.  "After  the  trouble 
I  have  had  in  getting  to  Australia,  I  mean  to 
stay  long  enough  to  see  what  sort  of  a  coun- 
try it  is.  I  think  I  can  make  a  living  in  one 
"way  or  another,  and  if  I  can't,  I  will  send  to 
America  for  the  money  I  have  there." 

In  due  time  they  reached  Melbourne,  with- 
out further  mischance.  Harry  induced  Jack 
to  remain  with  him,  but  Mr.  Clinton,  with  a 
new  stock  of  trousers,  purchased  in  Melbourne, 
returned  to  America  on  the  same  steamer  with 
the  professor.  What  befell  the  two  boys,  in 
whom  I  hope  my  readers  have  become  inter- 
ested, will  be  told  in  a  new  story,  entitled :  "In 
a  New  World;  or,  Harry  Vane  in  Australia,'* 

THE     END. 


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